The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has intensified its crackdown on street trading, signaling a new, uncompromising phase in its decongestion campaign.
Mayor Michael Allotey has underscored the Assembly’s commitment to sustaining the effort, dismissing any notion that it will be short-lived.
“This exercise is not a nine-day wonder; we will be on the streets until we ensure that the roads are clear,” the Mayor declared, emphasizing the long-term vision behind the campaign.
Unlike past exercises where confiscated goods were auctioned, the AMA has introduced a tougher policy: all items seized from unauthorized traders will now be handed over to the Ghana Prisons Service. The move is designed to serve as both a deterrent and a support measure for the prison system.
The latest operation, launched on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, is a collaboration between the AMA and the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA). It targeted key areas notorious for congestion, including the stretch from Kinbu Road to Railways and Opera Square to Adabraka.
Mayor Allotey made a strong statement during the operation, warning traders that leniency would not continue. “Tomorrow, you are not going to have it this way. I will pack all these things for the prison when I come tomorrow. Today is your lucky day,” he cautioned, making it clear that repeat offenders would face immediate and severe consequences.
The initiative is part of a broader push to reclaim public spaces, improve pedestrian access, enforce city by-laws, and raise sanitation standards in the capital.
In support of the operation, Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo announced a new penalty aimed at curbing illegal street vending. Traders found operating on pavements and in restricted areas within the Central Business District will now face a fine of GH₵2,000. The fine is expected to reinforce compliance and discourage reoffending.
With city authorities signaling a tougher, more coordinated approach, Accra’s streets may finally see sustained relief from chronic congestion and disorder.
