The sub-judicial committee of the GA Traditional Council has imposed an immediate ban on trading in tomatoes at some designated markets in the metropolis for what it regards as “trouble areas”. A verdict of the committee, after three sittings, named the areas as CMB Railway Branch, Kabrabu Agro Products near Shop 176 and Agbogbloshie and Sikkens. Included in the banned areas is Dome branch of the Ghana Tomatoes Traders Association. The arbitration committee explained that the ban was necessary to check those who flouted laid down schedules for bringing tomatoes to these markets and created “artificial glut”. “As a result of this glut, traders who operated with loans from banks incur huge loses from their inability to sell the produce. “Any trader who flouts the ban will have him or herself to blame,” the committee stated. Members of the committee are King Odaifio Welentsi III, Nungua Mantse, Nii Ayikai III, Akumadje Mantse, Nii Dodoo Nsaki, Otublohum Mantse and Dr. Emmanuel Acquaye, an elder of the Sempe Stool. Officials of a rival association who were summoned before the committee to answer charges of creating confusion by creating markets and charging illegal ground rents without accounting to the AMA, The Ga Traditional Council or the Greater Accra Tomatoes Traders Association failed to appear at all three sittings. Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 has been fixed for the final determination of the case brought by Madam Lydia Afoley Anum, General Secretary of the Ghana Tomatoes Traders Association. Source: GNA