Inhabitants of Old Fadama, also known as Sodom and Gomorrah, and others served with eviction notices have only two weeks to vacate the slum to their new abode, according to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Speaking on the Floor of Parliament Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Local Governments and Rural Development, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah told the House that a six-month ultimatum had been given to the inhabitants and it is left with two weeks for the time to elapse. The Deputy Minister was responding to a question posed by the MP or Atwima Mponua, Isaac Kwame Asiamah on measures the Ministry has put in place to ensure that people do not suffer unduly as a result of the decongestion exercise to be embarked upon by the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA). According to Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah, plans are far advanced to relocate and integrate some traders of the old Fadama slum at Amasaman. He said the Ministry has drawn lessons from previous decongestion exercises and would therefore take precautionary measures to ensure that vulnerable people would not suffer. As a first step, Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah indicated that residents of affected areas have been issued removal notices and educated on the need for them to leave willingly. On what concrete plans the Ministry has put in place to find alternative places for traders on the streets of Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Accra who have been asked to leave the streets where they sell within two weeks, the Deputy Minister said the aforementioned Metropolitan Assemblies have established hawkers and satellites markets spread across their areas of jurisdiction. He however pointed out, “All these facilities are highly underutilized because hawkers find it easier plying their trade on the streets." Afriyie-Ankrah said in conformity with Section 10 of the Local Government Act, Act 462 of 1993, the Assemblies are to exercise political and administrative authority in their Districts, stressing that in order to exercise these functions, Section 79 of the Local Government Act; Act 462 enjoins them to make bylaws to regulate activities within their areas of jurisdiction. Mentioning the prohibition of hawking in streets of their areas of jurisdiction as one of such by-laws, Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah was quick to add: "Of late this by-law has been abused by hawkers with the excuse that they have no places to sell their goods. I wish to state herein that adequate provision have been made by the Assemblies to cater for these hawkers." He cautioned that the Ministry would as far as practicable, ensure the enforcement of law and order to enable all traders go about their normal trading activities. Answering a question from the MP for Chiana-Paga, Leo Kabah Alowe, on how soon adequate offices and staff bungalows would be constructed in the newly created districts, especially the Kassena-Nankana West District to enable the Assemblies to be functional, Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah explained that each of the newly created District Assemblies has been receiving its share of the District Assembly Common Fund since its creation. The Assemblies, he noted, are expected to use the fund for infrastructural development of which provision of adequate offices and staff bungalows form part, emphasising, "it is therefore the prerogative of the Assemblies to prioritize their needs and work on them". As to when Mfantseman Municipal Assembly will be bifurcated, the Deputy Minister pointed out that it could be done after the Ghana Statistical Service has conducted the national population census in 2010. The national population census, he said, would inform the Government in the creation and realignment of Districts. Concerning the rehabilitation of the New Tafo market in the Akim Abuakwa North Constituency, which was in a state of disrepair, Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah said provision would be made in the 2010 District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) Budget to enable the Assembly continue with the rehabilitation in 2010. Source: Daily Guide