Traders operating in unauthorized places in the Ashanti regional capital Kumasi have up to midnight on Sunday February 2, 2013 to relocate to approved places or face arrest and seizure of their goods. The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is beginning a one week decongestion exercise after midnight today to rid the city of hawkers and commercial buses operating in unapproved areas. The Public Relations officer of the KMA, Gordon Nyame told Joy News all unauthorized structures will be destroyed during the exercise. He urged traders not to wait to see whether or not officials will conduct the exercise before making attempts to leave. “...As we decongest the city, we will still make sure that we carry out public education [exercises] to make sure that they do not get back to the place,” Mr Nyame stated, adding that patrol teams will be stationed all over the city to ensure the hawkers don’t come back.