The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has announced the commencement of a city-wide decongestion exercise beginning.
According to him, the exercise will start on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
The areas targeted for the exercise are the Central Business District (CBD), Okaishie, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, and Kaneshie.
Speaking at a press conference at City Hall, Mayor Allotey noted that the period for dialogue and delays had passed.
He indicated that it was important to take decisive action to restore order to the city.
“There’s no time to make empty promises,” the mayor declared.
“From the day I assumed office, I made a personal promise to keep Accra clean. Today, I am making that promise public; our streets are not marketplaces. Pavements are for walking, roads are for driving, and not for petty trading,” he said.
flanked by members of the Metropolitan Security Council (METSEC), including Chief Superintendent Ebenezer Nketiah, Accra Central Divisional Commander,
He pointed out that the streets were not meant for trading but for vehicular and pedestrian use, stressing that allowing continued trading posed a threat to public safety and urban mobility.
The mayor added that the planned operation was not an act of aggression or power but a necessity to ensure the functionality and dignity of the capital.
“We are not targeting anyone. We are not doing this because we want to remove people by force. We are doing this because we want to keep the city clean and orderly,” he said.
He further disclosed that prior consultations had been held with market leaders, security agencies, and transport unions and confirmed that available space exists in designated markets for affected traders.
“When we met the leaders, they told us there is space in the markets. So I urge all those affected to go back to their leaders and be relocated before Tuesday,” he said.
He stated that plans were far advanced to introduce a 24-hour city operation model, including a clean-up and security task force that would help improve sanitation and ensure safety, particularly for businesses operating late into the night.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly(KoKMA), Alfred Ato Allotey-Gaisie, on his part, said his outfit was prepared to join the AMA to rid Accra of the street trading menace.
“We are going to take the bull by the horns, and this will start next week Tuesday. The streets of Accra are not meant for selling, and we will not tolerate resistance from any quarters.”
“Our final warning goes to those with illegal structures.
They will all be cleared,” he warned.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
