Traders and hawkers in the metropolis have expressed grave concern over the inhuman behaviour of some Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Task Force personnel when going about their duties.

Some victims at the Asiedu Keteke (Agbogbloshie Market) who approached The Accra File to narrate the ordeal they go through at the hands of the AMA Task Force stirred this reporter to probe further into the matter.

And after some investigations, it has become clear that the Accra Mayor, Mr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije's quest to stamp out rot and instill discipline in the Assembly would come to naught, should such alleged corrupt practices, especially at the Agbogbloshie market, go on unchecked.

A victim, who pleaded anonymity, revealed to the file that the AMA Task Force use brute force to confiscate their wares, which they eventually release to the traders for a fee, while these monies end up in their private pockets.

Another observation was that some wealthy traders engage some of the task force officials to conduct certain practices, contrary to the AMA by-laws, like demolition and erection of structures at their own discretion.

A trip to the Agbogbloshie Market revealed that some structures (Gates) and shops have been created at unauthorized places, encroaching on the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) territory at the market.

To the concerned hawkers and traders, the daily extortion of money from them by the Task Force, is having a telling effect on their sales.

In like manner, a similar scenario was observed when this writer trekked to the Abeka Lapaz area, where traders complained bitterly about the questionable behaviour of some AMA Task Force who come around to extort money from them.

A case in point at the Lapaz area revealed that the Task Force takes the daily levy from the traders and hawkers without issuing out receipts.

Our investigation laid bare the fact that the some AMA Task Force are without identity cards, and approach the traders to serve them ejection notices from time to time.

According to the traders, the Task Force threatens to demolish their structures, but when they manage to raise some money for them they shelve their mission without issuing out receipt.

Just like the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye, bared his teeth at some police officers who were alleged to have taken bribes from drivers by prosecuting them some few weeks ago, Mr. Vanderpuije will do the nation a great service should the alleged corrupt practices under his nose be tackled.