Traders and commercial drivers within the Sunyani Central Business District (CBD) have called on the Sunyani city authorities to decongest the enclave to ease human and vehicular traffic.

They expressed concern about the growing congestion in the enclave, as hawkers and petty traders occupied and sold on streets, obstructing driving, and business transactions.

During a visit to the CBD, the traders, mostly market women, told the GNA market survey that the market was now unsafe because of the influx of the hawkers and petty traders and their economic activities.

The GNA noticed that the hawkers and petty traders have occupied the street leading to the main market selling their stuff including food items and second clothing.

Some of them also sell in the middle of the street and thereby making it difficult for vehicles to use the stretch.

However, some of the hawkers also told the GNA that they had no other option, saying hawking and petty trading remained their source of economic livelihood.

Nana Kwame Asare, a shop owner at the CBD said the situation now required urgent attention to bring sanity to the enclave.

He called for a designated area for the hawkers and petty traders to do their business so that they would not lose their livelihoods.

“It’s now even difficult to use the roads in the enclave,” Mr Kwame Adjei, a driver, stated.

Madam Akuah Donkor, a cassava seller said: “because of the influx of the hawkers, buyers no longer enter the market which is also affecting our sales and daily profit,” saying “we are often compelled to leave our shops and sell on the street too”.