Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, is grappling with severe congestion and vehicular traffic as major streets in the Central Business District (CBD) and pavements have been taken over by traders, drug addicts and beggars.
The situation is making movement difficult for both pedestrians and motorists.
What were once walkways and thoroughfares have become chaotic zones, filled with makeshift structures, loitering drug addicts and people begging for alms.
Streets around the Gbewaa Flyover, Aboabo Station and Sakasaka Junction are the worst-affected areas.
What is more worrying is the fact that some traders have put up structures on pavements and the median beneath the flyover, while others have turned it into a resting place.
Due to this, pedestrians are compelled to share the main roads with vehicles, resulting in accidents almost every day.
Lawlessness
Aside from obstructing free movement, the presence of drug addicts in some areas has raised concerns about public safety and crime.
The Daily Graphic's checks reveal that there has been an increase in petty thievery and harassment in the area, particularly in the evenings.
Also, parents and shop owners have expressed fear for the safety of their children and businesses.
"You can't even send your child to buy something without worrying.
The addicts sometimes become aggressive when you refuse to give them money,” Salamatu Iddrisu, a vendor, told the Daily Graphic.
Another trader, Ayishetu Musah, said the high rent of stalls and lack of space had forced them onto the streets.
She said: “We're not here because we want to be a nuisance. It’s the only place we can make some money. If the authorities find us a proper place, we will go."
A commercial driver, Ibrahim Abdul-Rahman, lamented the congestion and said it had made driving within the town very difficult.
"It's like the city has been taken over. You can't walk or drive without struggling. Even customers avoid these places now because there’s nowhere to park and the environment is not safe," he added.
Reaction
Reacting to the situation, the Public Relations Officer of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Amadu Mustapha Zakari, acknowledged the challenges and assured residents that the new
Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) was prioritising decongestion efforts.
He said previous attempts had failed due to the lack of stakeholder engagement and political interference.
“Each time we try to clear the streets, people politicise it and support the traders. It weakens enforcement,” he said.
Zakari also pointed out that markets such as Kukuo and Kapkagyili were underutilised, though they were developed to accommodate displaced traders, adding “people prefer to trade where the crowd is and we need to change that mindset."
He gave an assurance that the assembly would engage religious leaders, market associations and transport unions to find a sustainable solution to the situation.
