Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Western Region have been urged to regulate activities of Nigerien hawkers, popularly called ‘abokyi people,’ as part of measures in the fight against Covid-19.
Some concerned residents of Sekondi-Takoradi, who keep raising this issue, say they strongly believe that trading activities of ‘abokyi people ‘ contribute to the spread of Covid-19 in the oil city and Western Region as a whole.
This, they say, is because majority of these hawkers do not adhere to the safety protocols. With heaps of wax prints and bags on their heads, the ‘abokyi people’ are usually seen moving from one area to the other without nose masks.
They do not also observe social distancing while bargaining with customers with no masks on.
Danger
The residents insist this style of trading poses great danger to them, particularly those at Inchaban in the Shama District where business is said to be very brisk.
Majority of the ‘abokyi people’ are usually found at Inchaban. Reports indicate that although there is a police barrier in this busy community, the ‘abokyi people’, who conduct business there on daily basis, flout the safety protocols with impunity.
It is as a result of this that Shama District Assembly and other assemblies in the region have been urged to put in measures that will help regulate activities of these hawkers.
The residents have, however, commended Effia -Kwesimintim Municipal Assembly for instituting disciplinary measures against all those who fail to wear nose masks.
Some recalcitrant residents in the municipality were last week seen desilting choked gutters, weeding and sweeping dirty surroundings as their punishments for failing to wear nose masks.
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