AMA Denies Allegations

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly says reports of extortion from hawkers by members of its task force have been blown out of proportion. The assembly however admits it has received a number of allegations which are under investigations. The AMA has come under severe criticism from various organizations relating to the manner in which its task force members operate. Among the criticisms is the alleged extortion of money from hawkers arrested for selling on the streets. But the head of Public Relations at the AMA, Numoo Blafoo III disclosed to Citi News that efforts are ongoing to instill discipline in the task force officials. �We�re getting allegations of people giving them money and upon our investigations we found out that they�re also not working. "If you see an AMA personnel standing somewhere and you see the trader or a hawker plying his or her trade, what would you assume? "I always warn them that they should not be conversing with the hawkers because if they are seen conversing with them then the allegations that people would make would be assumed to be true. "We counsel them, they are given outlines of what they must do and the moment you shift from that line then it means you�re being compromised. "Majority of them are doing well, but in every human organisation there are bad nuts that you cannot overrule and we have to accept it that way but then we have to minimize the incidence of people of people doing the wrong thing� he indicated.