Some traders at the Accra Central Business District have shockingly returned to their pavements just a day after the Accra Mayor decongestion exercise yesterday May 20, 2025.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) began its major decongestion exercise on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
The AMA task forces, accompanied by the Ghana Police Service, carried out operations to dismantle makeshift stalls, and unauthorised kiosks, and remove vendors from pavements and roadsides across key parts of the Central Business District.
According to the AMA, the first phase of the exercise is focused on the AMA Head Office, Kinbu Road to Railways, ECG Junction to the King Tackie Tawiah Statue, and Opera Square through to Adabraka.
They revealed that the operation which will last for 2 weeks is to enforce city bylaws, ease congestion, and ensure the safe movement of both pedestrians and vehicles.
Following the decongestion exercise vehicles were captured moving freely as traders were clear from the roads and pavement of the streets.
However, in a video shared by GTV Ghana, some traders have already returned to their usual spots on the pavement continuing with their trading activities.
Meanwhile, Linda Ocloo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister has stated traders who flout the decongestion directive will be fined ₵2000.
Linda Ocloo touring the CBD during the decongestion exercise yesterday stated, “We are going to activate our task force to work 24 hours. They are going to draw a red line on the road, so with this, when you cross the line, you have a fee to pay, which is 1500gh, maximum 2000gh.
We are going to make sure that we have leaders in all the markets who will be monitoring, aside from the task force, and make sure that the right things are being done.”
The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of the AMA, Michael Kpakpo Allotey also in a press conference on Tuesday, May 20, stated, “This exercise is not a nine-day wonder; we are on the street till we make sure that the roads are clear. We are not done.
For the next hour, we are going back to the street. From here we are going to Circle, and if there is more strength, we will go to Kaneshie. Then we continue tomorrow,” the Mayor stated.
He further revealed in a subsequent interview, “With those who do not have space in the market, under the 24-hour economy plan, there is going to be a day that the street will be blocked for the market women to sell on the street and take our ticket while we divert the drivers to a different road. So there will be days that they will be allowed to sell on the street.
Watch the video below:
Just a day after being cleared by the Mayor, traders are back on the pavements at some areas of the Accra Central
The Accra decongestion struggle continues… pic.twitter.com/Kq2vC9XAcJ
— GTV Ghana (@GTV_Ghana) May 21, 2025
