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Information gathered from the go-betweens (goro boys) operating as caretakers of portions of the Railways land and unofficial employees of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly indicates that a total amount of GH¢144,000 is collected and handed over to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA’s) Director of Finance, one Samuel Aryee, who at the end of every month receives a Gh ¢750 from five full loaded trucks which arrives in Accra as daily toll.

The monies, according to the goro boys in an interview, are paid to Mr Samuel Aryee to be disbursed each month in percentage ratio to some selected beneficiaries:-goro boys, the Korle Wulomo, and other traditional office holders in Accra. This, according to traders at the CMB branch of the Tomatoe Association is an extortion since these monies do not reflect anywhere in the budget statements of the Assembly.  

Members of the CMB Tomatoes Traders Association have expressed dissatisfaction at the way they are being coerced by some officials from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) together with goro boys who collect huge sums of monies from them.

According to the aggrieved traders, it has become a routine; where, on daily basis these goro boys, led by Frank Clayland come to the market and collect monies from them under the guise of AMA Ground rent payment.

This paper gathered that the said ground rent which is being collected for the two AMA top officials, being  Mr. Aryeh Darte, AMA Metro Director and Mr. Aryee, AMA Director of Finance run into  the tune of GH¢3,750.00 every week.

The money, according to the traders, amount to GH¢3,750.00 every week, and GH¢15,000.00 every month and GH¢ 180,000.00 every year.

Checks conducted revealed that although they claim the money is ground rent taken on behalf of the AMA, it does not reflect anywhere in the AMA budget.

That Notwithstanding, it has also been established that the traders pay GH¢50.00 to the AMA as market tow/levy on daily basis and are also overburdened with illegal payments of GH¢100.00 per truck over the five trucks that goes to the goro boys and another Gh¢50 collected by AMA, on each day, making up to a total of GH¢750.00 a day to the ghost account in the AMA.

Meanwhile, the women who have decided not to kowtow to the demands of these goro boys and their masters at the AMA have been attacked in the market for refusing to pay these illegal fees.

On 14 February, 2016 the traders had serious confrontation with the goro boys who allegedly burnt down tomato cartons belonging to the women for refusing to pay the said fees.

When later confronted, Frank Cleyland admitted that they had been ordered by Mr. Samuel Aryee Director Finance and Mr. Ayeh Darte to decongest the tomatoes traders market hence their action to burn down the cartons which were parked at the market.

But when the Metro Director of the AMA, Mr Aryeh Darte was called on the issue, he noted that the AMA was to carry out a decongestion exercise at the CMB tomatoes market due to complaints of overcrowding and congestion made by the Accra Brewery Company to the AMA, but could not identify which AMA task force officials were authorized and deployed for that particular job.

Sources further revealed that the Korle Wulomo was present at the site offering the goro boys the moral support to eject the traders hence the removal of their canopies used as sheds at the market by the traders.

The reported case of unlawful breaking and burning of the over 150 cartons belonging to the traders is currently before the Accra Regional Police Command being investigated.