Families will go hungry and bills will be left unpaid, plunging numerous households into economic hardship, should the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) carry out the planned decongestion exercise without any intervention for the affected traders.
This is the cry of the Union of Informal Workers Association (UNIWA) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) pleading for mercy as the two local governments in Accra plan to decongest the streets of the capital.
AMA and KoKMA have given the traders plying their trade on the streets up to May 20 to vacate or face forced eviction from all the pavements in Accra. This is part of a broader plan to decongest the streets of the capital for free flow of traffic and humans.
However, UNIWA says that the decision to evict members will affect approximately 5,000 informal traders. This, they say, will be a devastating blow to livelihoods, disrupt families, and open floodgates of economic hardships.
UNIWA also maintains that the May 20 deadline is too soon to allow the affected to find alternative places to conduct their business.
“When this happens, approximately 5,000 traders, many of whom are our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers, will be directly affected by this decision. They are the backbone of our local economy, keeping our markets vibrant, our streets lively, and our communities thriving. However, the current deadline leaves them with an impossible task: to find new places to trade, settle their businesses, and maintain their livelihoods within a mere few days,” parts of the statement read.
They added, “We understand the importance of maintaining order and cleanliness in our cities. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the human aspect of this decision. These traders are not just statistics or numbers; they are human beings with families to feed, bills to pay, and dreams to pursue.”
In a passionate appeal to the authorities, the group acknowledged the importance of maintaining order and cleanliness in the city, but stressed that this must not come at the cost of basic fairness and compassion. UNIWA painted a vivid picture of the looming chaos, warning that the short timeline leaves traders with virtually no chance to find alternative trading spaces or relocate their businesses.
“We often ask these same traders to reduce prices of goods despite rising exchange rates and inflation. Today, we ask the authorities to extend the same empathy to them,” said Enoch K. Bioh, General Secretary of UNIWA.
UNIWA is not only appealing for a deadline extension. The union is calling on the government to intervene with urgent support measures, including the allocation of alternative market spaces, provision of financial assistance to cushion affected traders, and logistical support for relocating and resettling businesses.
“An extension of the deadline would provide them with a lifeline, allowing them to find suitable alternatives, reorganize their businesses, and ensure that their livelihoods are not abruptly disrupted. It is a matter of basic fairness and compassion,” they further pleaded.
The union has pledged to continue advocating for informal workers, who form the backbone of Ghana’s local economy. They called on policymakers to strike a balance between city beautification and the survival of hardworking citizens.
“To the authorities, we say: consider the human impact of your decisions. Extend the deadline. Let us strive for a solution that benefits everyone,” the statement concluded.
The Union is pleading for the assemblies to approach the exercise with a “human face.” It is therefore unclear how the government will manage the enforcement of the law with the compassion the traders are pleading. As the May 20 deadline approaches, all eyes will be on the government for the kind of intervention it will make.
