The Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Dr Alfred Vanderpuije, appears to have buckled under pressure from the powers that be. He says he no longer has any intention to apply force to get hawkers and street vendors out of the pavements. Dr. Vanderpuije, who promised to decongest the national capital, predicated with a 14-day ultimatum to hawkers, now says traders will be required to leave the streets on their own volition. The AMA boss told Joy News’ Sammy Darko incessant public education campaigns would be waged to sensitize people on the need to leave the streets. He believes with education the hawkers will come to appreciate the need to stop selling on the pavements. The state-owned Daily Graphic reported Tuesday that the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey wrote to Dr Vanderpuije to stop the planned decongestion exercise. According to Mr. Ashietey, the exercise had political, social and economic implications and needed more consultation before it could be carried out. That view was also held by the Deputy Local Government Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah. Mr Ankrah told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah it was better to take step backwards and look at the mode and form that the exercise should take. That, he argued, was necessary if the programme is to be sustainable. He assured Ghanaians that the government was determined to decongest the national capital in a sustainable manner. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com