Ayawaso West Municipal Chief Executive, Michael Mensah, has warned traders against returning to the Villagio area to conduct business, stressing that the residential enclave is not a market and must not be turned into one.
His comments follow a fresh clearance exercise by the municipal taskforce to remove an unauthorised market that had developed in the area.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Mensah said the assembly has cleared the area several times, only for traders to return and resume trading.
“We have cleared the area several times, but they always come back. That place is not a market, so we shouldn’t turn it into one,” he said.
He said the taskforce conducted another clearance exercise on Wednesday, but traders were already returning by the following morning.
“We went there to clear the area on Wednesday, but this morning, I passed by and realised they were coming back.”
Mr Mensah stressed that the assembly would continue its enforcement operations to prevent traders from occupying unauthorised spaces.
“Villagio is a residential area and cannot be turned into a market,” he warned.
He said similar enforcement challenges are being experienced around the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), where some traders continue to sell from the median despite previous clearances.
“Around UPSA too, we have cleared the area, but people are still selling within the median. So we will sustain this effort,” he added.
The MCE warned that while the latest exercise only resulted in traders being asked to leave, future enforcement operations could involve the seizure of their goods.
“When we came there on Wednesday, we simply asked you to leave. But if we return, we will seize your items,” he stated.
Mr Mensah urged traders to heed the warning and stay away from the Villagio area, insisting that the assembly would sustain its efforts to prevent unauthorised trading in residential and other restricted areas.
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