A criminologist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Jones Opoku-Ware, has called for the regulation of the amount of money mobile (MoMo) vendors are permitted to hold.
This follows a recent attack on a MoMo vendor at Krofrom, Ashanti Region, which tragically resulted in the loss of life and has raised serious concerns about the safety of vendors.
Dr. Opoku-Ware, in an interview on Joy News, explained that the large sums of cash frequently carried by MoMo vendors make them prime targets for armed robbers.
He believes that limiting the amount of money these vendors can hold would significantly reduce the risk of such attacks and better protect their lives.
“We can actually regulate the amount of money people can withdraw from a vendor because I feel that allowing people to withdraw and transact as much as they want exposes MoMo vendors to criminals,” he said.
“We need to find a way to regulate this, ensuring that the amount of money vendors hold is manageable and easy to carry, rather than having large sums that constantly attract criminals,” Dr. Opoku-Ware stated.
He continued, “It’s high time that mobile operators listened and took action. If we don’t address the factors driving these crimes and streamline the activities of MoMo vendors, we will continue to witness attacks.”
Through ongoing discussions and education, he concluded, “I hope vendors will begin prioritising their personal security, especially in how they conduct their business and interact with customers.”
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