The Daily illegal �susu� being made by some taskforce members of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) deployed at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle instead of stopping traders from selling at the edges of the road has ended as they were yesterday caught on camera taking bribes from traders and allowing them to sell.
The officers were seen busily taxing the traders in order to allow them to sell or have their items seized when the cameras of the paper, that have been monitoring their activities for days now, caught up with them.
The officers, made up of two females and three males, took to their heels when they noticed that images of them were captured by the lenses of the paper.
The taskforce members who had no name tags, had one of the officers identifying himself as Lamptey trying to prove his innocence despite pictorial evidence of them extorting money from the traders.
Some other officials of the Assembly who were stationed at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle later came in to calm tempers and discouraged the team from informing the AMA Coordinating Director since the Mayor himself was interested in causing their arrest.
But, despite the discouragement and attempted negotiations, a taskforce was sent from the head office to effect their arrest and the necessary action to be taken.
When the paper tried to interview some of the traders, they refused to identify themselves and give further details of what they go through in the hands of the taskforce for fear of victimization.
One of the traders noted that they usually take GH�1.00 from each trader to allow them to sell but sometimes, some of the officers from the office at Kwame Nkrumah Circle would come round to take GH�10.00 to GH�20.00 from each trader or have their items confiscated.
The trader said to avoid such things, they quickly pay the amount the taskforce will demand for so they could have chance to sell and feed their families at home.
When the Chief Executive Officer of the AMA, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, who is in the United States of America on official duties, was contacted, he indicated that the Coordinating Director of the Assembly will take the matter up.
Mr. Vanderpuije said there are laid down procedures to deal with officers of the Assembly who engage in corrupt practices, hence, they will investigate the matter and apply the appropriate sanctions.
He further promised to take the issue up and deal with the culprits appropriately upon return from the United States of America.
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