Announcement about the decongestion exercise was also made on some radio stations in the Metropolis. Several wooden structures and all unauthorised objects around the market were demolished and some taken away by the Assembly’s city guards.Prior to the demolition exercise, the market circle was heavily congested as a result of an invasion by hawkers and other traders who were found at every corner of the central business district.

The traders took over the pavements, pedestrian walkways and parking spaces making the market circle untidy, dirty and congested.They sold a wide range of items, from vegetables, shoes, tissue paper, drinks, jewellery to used clothes.

According to the STMA, the exercise was meant to make pedestrian movement easier, faster and convenient. The Assembly maintained that it would continue till the traders moved back into their stalls, stores, sheds while those without any shops would be re-located to the Apremdo Market near Takoradi.

A visit by GNA to the decongested areas on Tuesday afternoon revealed that traffic flow had improved considerably compared to what existed before the decongestion exercise. It was also revealed that the STMA’s city guards had been deployed at some vantage points to ensure that sanity prevailed in the area.

The Presiding Member of STMA, Mr John Davies, explained that during the Christmas celebrations last year, the traders appealed to the Assembly to allow them trade on the pavements and promised to leave immediately after the yuletide. “So the Assembly allowed them, and when the time elapsed for them to leave they did not leave".

 "But we thought it was about time to clear them from the unauthorized trading centres and even went further to give them prior notice," he added. He indicated that the Assembly was however, considering allowing the traders to do business on the pavements after 5pm each day when the main market had closed and also on Sundays.

He said the Assembly was aware of the increase in the population of the city, which had in turn resulted in the heightening pressure on current social infrastructure.  He said it however did not mean that traders could take over the streets with impunity, adding that “as citizens, we have to know what is right from wrong”.

 He pointed out that the Assembly would continue to enforce its bylaws to ensure that sanity prevailed in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis.