The Chief Executive of Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly (ONMA) has tasked hawkers along the George Walker Bush Highway to grant uninterrupted access to contractors working on the pedestrian footbridge at Lapaz.
According to Honourable Boye Laryea, the presence of the traders competing for space with the contractor will prolong the completion of the project.
He stated that the safety of the traders was paramount to the Assembly hence the plea to vacate the construction site.
The plea by the Okaikwei North MCE follows complaints by the contractor that the hawkers are impeding the smooth takeoff of the project.
The pedestrian footbridge is expected to end the era of pedestrian knock downs by motorists on the George Walker Bush Highway popularly known as the N1 Highway.
Speaking to hawkers at separate community engagements at Abeka and Lapaz, both suburbs in the Municipality, Honourable Laryea urged the leaders of the hawkers to contribute towards the successful completion of the project.
He explained that the project is the first of three footbridges to be constructed on the N1.
Honourable Laryea assured the hawkers that when the construction is over, the traders would be allowed to display their wares under the footbridge in order to have their daily bread.
The MCE warned that persons who will be stealing the materials of the contractor will be prosecuted adding that the hawkers must also not give the Assembly any reason to involve its taskforce or the police as a measure to install sanity at the place.
Mr. Kwame Brefo-Boateng, the Municipal Chief Development Planner stated that the people are relevant stakeholders in the project.
He said the Assembly is interested in the protection of their lives even as they carry out their business on the highway.
Mr. Brefo-Boateng indicated that the regular crossing of the highway coupled with the constant pedestrian knockdowns was a worry to the Assembly and the community.
Shaderack Bempong, Chairman of the Lapaz Traders pledged the support of the hawkers to the project.
Present at the ceremony was the Head of Roads, Head of Works, Assemblymen, Transport owners and other opinion leaders in the community.
Source: onma.gov.gh