A decongestion exercise carried out by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) last Friday has brought relief to road users and residents in the city.

The exercise aimed to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate the smooth flow of both pedestrians and vehicles.

As part of the operation, the city authority removed unauthorised structures, stands, beggars and traders from pavements, pedestrian walkways, and roadsides that obstructed free movement.

The affected areas included the Access Bank Link Road, the Aboabo-Nyohini stretch and the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) stretch.

The decongestion was part of a three-phase plan to make Tamale a more sustainable and lively city by increasing space for movement and easing traffic congestion.

Consultations

The Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Adam Abubakari Takoro, stated that all relevant stakeholders were consulted prior to the exercise to guarantee its success.

He stated that about 75 per cent of tricycles had been moved to designated stations to reduce congestion in the central business district.

Apart from that, he said some traders found in unauthorised areas had been instructed to relocate to the Kapkagyili, Kukuo and Timber markets to continue their businesses.

“We are doing this exercise not for ourselves, but to prevent road accidents,” he said.

Mr Takoro also urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the assembly to prevent traders from returning to help decongest the city.

Mixed reactions

While many road users supported the exercise, some traders expressed concerns about its effect on their livelihoods.

A trader, Dawuda Abdul Razak, lamented that the operation had left many traders without a place to sell, making it difficult for them to support their families.

“Every day we pay a tax of GH¢5 to the assembly, yet they didn’t find us an alternative place before carrying out this exercise,” he said.

Another trader, Mustapha Issahak, criticised the timing, arguing that the assembly should have shown traders where to relocate before clearing them from the roadsides.

He added that “this is not the right time for this exercise. The assembly has not treated us fairly.

They should have shown us where to go before sacking us".

A pedestrian, Timothy Mbamba, praised the assembly for the decongestion exercise, as it had eased traffic.