Ho Resident Calls for President Mahama's Intervention Amid Alleged Clampdown on Street Vendors

• A Ho resident has called for intervention after authorities destroyed goods during a clampdown on street vendors
• Similar action has been taken in Accra, where vendors are facing fines and stricter regulations to reduce congestion
• Ho vendors and residents expressed frustration at the situation, saying the evictions had threatened their livelihoods

A resident of Ho, the capital of the Volta Region, has called for President John Mahama's intervention following the large-scale clampdown on roadside vendors.

The incident, which occurred along the principal streets in the market areas of Ho, saw market women's goods allegedly destroyed while the streets were being cleared.

In a video shared online, the lady could be heard expressing her disappointment with the government's actions. She spoke out about how the authorities were forcefully removing vendors and destroying their goods.

The young lady lamented, saying that this intense action was not what she had hoped for when she voted for President Mahama.

The lady’s call for the President to intervene has outlined the frustration felt by many vendors and local residents, who believe their livelihoods are being threatened.

YEN.com.gh has understood that the street vendors, who rely on sales along the roadways in Ho, argued that the clampdown was disrupting their ability to earn a living.

This action comes amid increasing concerns over street congestion and urban planning issues.

Similar clampdowns have occurred in other parts of Ghana, such as Accra, where the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, announced stricter measures to combat unauthorised street vending in the Central Business District (CBD).

Traders fined for selling on the roadside

The clampdown in Accra also includes heavy fines for vendors operating on pavements and streets.

The action was part of a larger decongestion exercise that sought to ease the growing traffic congestion and improve sanitation in the city.

Minister Ocloo’s approach included fines of up to GHC 2,000 for traders found violating the street trading laws.

These measures, while designed to address congestion and sanitation, have drawn criticism for their impact on the livelihoods of informal sector workers, like the vendors in Ho, who depend on street trading for their survival.

In Accra, the local government has developed a 24-hour economy plan that proposes temporary street closures for vendors, allowing them to sell in a more organised manner on specified days.

This strategy was based on the argument that while street trading would continue, it would be conducted under regulated conditions, striking a balance between economic activity and urban order.

Back in Ho, residents are now calling on President Mahama to intervene, urging the government to find a fairer approach to manage street trading that supports local businesses without undermining the livelihoods of vendors.

The video of authorities clampig down on Ho traders is below:

Reactions to clampdown on Ho street vendors

YEN.com.gh has collated some of the reactions to the video shared by sikaofficial1 on Twitter below.

@Chelsea4everA commented:

"I said this need proper national address before destruction but people they should keep doing it. The president didn’t anything wrong but at least they should find a better place for them or open up the market to contain everyone."

@tuJime30 wrote:

"Nkwasia sem. Selling on the road as become necessity."

@ben7fab wrote:

"Chale Ghana de3 3nfa. Citizens can actually threaten you with voting if you decide to do what’s right for the country as a whole."

@akabayire commented

"Were they at the right place at the right time?"

Prophet Kofi Oduro speaks on vendors' eviction

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that Prophet DrKofi Oduro, Senior Pastor of The Alabaster International Ministry, has voiced his support for the Accra Mayor’s eviction order against street traders.

He urged them to embrace the eviction order positively, suggesting that God could open new doors for them by moving from their current locations and aligning with the city’s decongestion efforts.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh