The Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly has given traders occupying road spaces at the Kasoa New Market a final notice to vacate. The directive covers traders operating on pavements, buffer zones, the lorry park, and portions of the road. Their activities have compounded congestion amid ongoing construction works around the market. The Assembly aims to reclaim these spaces to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion.
Municipal Chief Executive Seth Sabah Serwornoo-Banini stated that construction of culverts and drains had reduced the road available to motorists. Sections of the road have been blocked for construction works, forcing traffic onto the principal stretch and worsening delays, particularly on Tuesdays and Fridays when trading activity increases. This has resulted in significant travel time increases, with a journey from Kasoa to Ofaakor taking up to two hours.
The occupation of the lorry park, pavements, buffer zones, and portions of the road by traders has restricted the space available for vehicles to stop, pick up, and drop off passengers. The existing road configuration is essentially one lane in and one lane out, making the available road space critical to maintaining movement. The congestion also poses risks to pedestrians who are being forced to share road space with vehicles.
There have been incidents where vehicles crashed into roadside traders and their wares, highlighting the need for the Assembly to take action. The Assembly has engaged the affected traders through its task force and market associations on several occasions before issuing the latest directive. Some traders had been moved from their sheds to the lorry park during the COVID-19 pandemic but remained there and extended their activities onto pavements and portions of the road.
The Assembly has demarcated the affected areas and directed traders not to extend their wares beyond the designated lines. While some traders have complied and moved their setups back, others are waiting for enforcement to begin. The Assembly had agreed to give the affected traders a couple of weeks following an intervention by the Member of Parliament for the area.
The exercise is not intended to deprive traders of their livelihoods but to restore public spaces and improve movement within the municipality. The market has spaces for traders to operate, and the Assembly also has to consider the effect of the congestion on residents and businesses. The Assembly is concerned about food being sold close to busy roads, as fumes and smoke from vehicles could settle on exposed food and pose health risks.
The Assembly is constructing a 1.2-kilometre bypass from the Colomba area to Datus to provide an alternative route and reduce pressure on the principal road. The Municipal Chief Executive appealed to traders to cooperate with the Assembly as it implements the decongestion measures. The goal is to improve safety, reduce congestion, and enhance the overall movement within the municipality.
Key points
- The Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly has ordered traders at Kasoa New Market to vacate pavements and road spaces to ease congestion and improve safety.
