Hundreds of unauthorised spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai in Accra were, on Thursday morning, evicted from the business hub by the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association.
This follows an earlier caution by the union to all traders operating in the area unlawfully to leave, as part of efforts to help decongest the enclave.
Speaking to journalists during a decongestion and clean-up exercise of the Abossey Okai business zone, Co-Chairman of the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association, Clement Boateng, stated that the activities of a lot of the unauthorised spare parts dealers have contributed to the massive congestion in the area.
“We have been complaining that Abossey Okai is congested in terms of people who sell in the middle of the roads, people have also dumped unserviceable vehicles here for a number of months and even years, and they have not come for them. People have also turned this place into a car repairs workshop that they can bring their cars and repair them here. All that contributes to the congestion here in Abossey Okai,”
Mr. Boateng stated that they made the request for the exercise to happen at Abossey Okai. He also gave his assurance that measures would be put in place to prevent the illegal traders from returning.
“When this Greater Accra Regional Minister launched this decongestion exercise we put forward a request to the Municipal Assembly that we would like to be affected by the decongestion exercise and that is why it is happening here today. We have put a task force in place, comprising the Abbosey Okai Spare parts Dealers Association and the Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly, to make sure that this program is sustained.”
He further stated that the illegal spare parts traders would have to find a new place to sell their goods as they wouldn’t be returning.
“Where they are selling is illegal, so we are not bothered about where they will go. They have to find a place for themselves and that isn’t part of our responsibilities.”
