A section of the Accra-Cape Coast highway near the Mallam Market has been overtaken by traders, creating major inconvenience for motorists and pedestrians who ply the busy stretch on daily basis.
During a visit to the market, The Ghanaian Times observed brisk trading both inside and outside, with a number of locked shops and empty stalls suggesting that some traders had abandoned their spaces in favour of the pavement.
Traders, mostly selling foodstuffs and other merchandise, have extended their trading activities beyond the market, displaying their goods on pavements, road shoulders, and even occupying one lane of the three-lane road.
side of the market road
This situation compel vehicles and pedestrians to compete for space, particularly during peak hours and market days with the congestion which further exacerbated by the irregular parking of trucks that supply goods for bulk breaking, narrowing the road even more.
Compounding the situation is the refusal of pedestrians to use the foot bridge constructed for their usage.
The wire mesh used as a fence to prevent truck pushers and pedestrian from crossing the highway from one end to the other had been destroyed, paving the way for people to cross the road with careless abandon.
Some traders blamed their decision to trade on the streets on poor conditions within the market.
Voicing their frustrations, Oluman Mensah, a trotro driver, told The Ghanaian Times that the traders created daily obstruction that affects both traffic flow and safety.
He observed that they had taken over the road shoulders which forced drivers to sometimes veer into opposite lanes, risking knockdowns.
Micheal Dapaah, a trotro driver shared same sentiments, saying, in the market women set up tables and spread goods right by the lane; “We are forced to slow down or swerve, which is very risky.”
‘’Everyday, we struggle to pass through Mallam .The sellers block the shoulders, and passengers are forced to get down in the middle of the road. It’s a recipe for disaster,’’ Kwame Yeboah, a trotro driver, also lamented.
When contacted, the secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transportation Union (GPRTU) who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they could not speak on the matter as it was before authorities.
Auntie Adwoa Baah, a tomato seller, said she moved onto the pavement after struggling to sell her perishable goods from her store inside in the market.
“Tomatoes spoil quickly. When I sold inside the market, I hardly got customers, and I was losing money. Out here, I can sell four baskets a day,” she explained.
Another trader, 37-year-old Mansah Kyere, echoed similar sentiments.
She said the market is overcrowded, compelling her to join others on the pavement, stressing that, “I don’t see anything wrong with it. What matters is that people see and buy my goods.”
However, some traders operating within the market expressed frustration, saying those outside were drawing customers away.
They believe that enforcing discipline would boost business for everyone. “If all of us stayed inside, customers would have no choice but to come in. Business would be better for all,” said Mama Gifty Adjei, a cereal seller. She urged authorities to evict traders operating in unauthorised spaces.
The Assembly’s planned interventions aim to restore order, but striking a balance between regulation and the economic realities of the traders remains a key challenge.
Speaking to The Ghanaian Times, Mrs Vera Akuffo-Mante, Municipal Coordinating Director of the Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly, acknowledged the long-standing problem, saying that the Assembly was taking steps to address the issue, particularly on market days.
“We are working to deal with this issue once and for all. Starting next month, we plan to deploy municipal guards on Saturdays to ensure that traders stay within designated areas,” she stated.
Mrs Akuffo-Mante described the guards as disciplined and focused on maintaining order. While there are currently no penalties for traders operating in unauthorised spaces, she revealed that the Assembly is considering introducing fines to deter the practice.
She also pointed to long-term challenges, including limited market space and the swampy nature of the land, which hampers expansion. “The Assembly is working to improve access and potentially engineer the land for future development,” she added.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU & RAYMOND APPIAH-AMPONSAH
The post Chaos at Mallam market …traders, pedestrians invade road, abandon footbridge appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
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