The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has launched a large-scale operation to remove unauthorized street traders from the Central Business District (CBD), In a bold move to curb rising congestion and sanitation challenges in the capital.
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, AMA enforcement teams, with support from the Ghana Police Service, rolled out a comprehensive clean-up and decongestion exercise that saw the removal of makeshift stalls, kiosks, and vendors who had occupied pavements and road shoulders in major commercial areas of Accra.
The operation is part of a broader campaign by the city authorities to reclaim public space, enforce municipal bylaws, and promote orderly urban living.
Speaking on the exercise, city officials said the goal is not only to decongest the CBD but also to improve public health and restore discipline in the city’s busiest commercial zones.
“We are taking back the streets for pedestrians,” an AMA official stated. “The occupation of pavements and roadways by traders has become a major threat to sanitation and public safety, especially for pedestrians who are often forced into traffic.”
The exercise, currently in its first phase, is targeting areas around the AMA Head Office and key thoroughfares such as Kinbu Road to Railways, ECG Junction to the King Tackie Tawiah Statue, and the stretch from Opera Square to Adabraka.
Residents and commuters have expressed mixed reactions. While some applauded the AMA for restoring sanity in the city centre, others raised concerns about the livelihood impact on hawkers who depend on street trading for survival.
“This is long overdue,” said a commuter at the ECG Junction. “It was becoming impossible to walk through this area. The filth and human traffic were overwhelming.”
However, a displaced vendor lamented, “We are not here by choice. We are trying to feed our families. They should find us a proper market space before pushing us out.”
AMA officials, in response, hinted at plans to allocate designated trading zones and enforce a relocation strategy in consultation with market leaders and the affected traders.
As enforcement continues, the Assembly has reiterated its commitment to maintaining law and order in Accra and called on the public to support the initiative for a cleaner, safer, and more organized capital city.
