Recalcitrant traders fined in Kumasi
A Kumasi Circuit Court has imposed fines totaling ¢13 million on 26 traders who returned to the Kumasi central business district to transact business in violation of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s (KMA) directives.
The court presided over by Mr. Justice Owusu Afriyie warned that it would not hesitate to impose custodial sentences in addition to the imposition of heavy fines on recalcitrant traders.
The Kumasi Divisional Police Crime Officer, Mr Kwaku Duah who briefed the media about the incident said each of the traders was fined ¢500, 000, or serve three months prison term when they appeared before the court last week.
He said the traders were arraigned before the court after they returned to the CBD to transact business against KMA directives.
According to Mr Duah, the 26 traders were among 54 traders who were arrested for committing similar offences and pleaded guilty to the offence of transacting business at unauthorized places.
He said the others would also be arraigned before the court after police finish with their investigations.
He said apart from the CBD where traders have been banned from transacting any business, they have also been banned from transacting business at the Morocco Shoe House area as well as the Dr Mensah area in the metropolis where their activities always created human and vehicular congestion.
Three weeks ago, the KMA ejected the traders from the CBD and threatened to arrest those who returned to the area for any business transactions.
A Task force of 80 personnel, involving the Police, Prison officers and KMA guards among others, was established to monitor the area to ward off any trader who returned to transact business there.
As part of his tour to some project sites in the metropolis two weeks ago, the Acanthine, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II also visited the CBD and commended the KMA for their bold decision of ejecting the traders from the CBD.
He expressed concern about the activities of traders at the CBD, which he said, has created much nuisance in the metropolis, and therefore urged the affected traders to comply with the KMA directives and source for alternative places to transact business.
Explaining, he said, respecting the KMA directives would not only create sanity at the CBD and boost business, but would also create conducive atmosphere for motorists thereby reducing the spate of accidents associated at the CBD as a result of the activities of the traders.
The court presided over by Mr. Justice Owusu Afriyie warned that it would not hesitate to impose custodial sentences in addition to the imposition of heavy fines on recalcitrant traders.
The Kumasi Divisional Police Crime Officer, Mr Kwaku Duah who briefed the media about the incident said each of the traders was fined ¢500, 000, or serve three months prison term when they appeared before the court last week.
He said the traders were arraigned before the court after they returned to the CBD to transact business against KMA directives.
According to Mr Duah, the 26 traders were among 54 traders who were arrested for committing similar offences and pleaded guilty to the offence of transacting business at unauthorized places.
He said the others would also be arraigned before the court after police finish with their investigations.
He said apart from the CBD where traders have been banned from transacting any business, they have also been banned from transacting business at the Morocco Shoe House area as well as the Dr Mensah area in the metropolis where their activities always created human and vehicular congestion.
Three weeks ago, the KMA ejected the traders from the CBD and threatened to arrest those who returned to the area for any business transactions.
A Task force of 80 personnel, involving the Police, Prison officers and KMA guards among others, was established to monitor the area to ward off any trader who returned to transact business there.
As part of his tour to some project sites in the metropolis two weeks ago, the Acanthine, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II also visited the CBD and commended the KMA for their bold decision of ejecting the traders from the CBD.
He expressed concern about the activities of traders at the CBD, which he said, has created much nuisance in the metropolis, and therefore urged the affected traders to comply with the KMA directives and source for alternative places to transact business.
Explaining, he said, respecting the KMA directives would not only create sanity at the CBD and boost business, but would also create conducive atmosphere for motorists thereby reducing the spate of accidents associated at the CBD as a result of the activities of the traders.
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