The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has demolished an unauthorised goat pen in Bukom after repeated warnings to the operator to comply with the AMA (Control of Animals) Bye-Law, 2017, which prohibits the keeping of goats, cattle and other specified animals within communities without a permit from the Assembly.
The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, led the enforcement team to the area on Monday, September 14, 2026 as part of efforts to restore order, improve sanitation and address public safety concerns associated with the facility.
According to him, the Assembly had repeatedly engaged the owner over the rearing of animals within the densely populated community, but the activity continued despite the warnings and an ongoing court process.
He said concerns over the facility intensified after a 29-year-old resident was allegedly knocked down by one of the animals and sustained serious injuries, including a fracture to his back.
Mayor Allotey said the AMA and the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Alfred Kotey Ashie subsequently intervened to support the victim with medical expenses and other assistance, but the Assembly had recently been informed that he had died.
The Mayor said although the matter involving the owner was already before the court, the AMA still had a responsibility to enforce its by-laws within its mandate and take measures to protect public safety.
Mayor Allotey stressed that livestock could not be reared indiscriminately in residential areas without the necessary approval from the Assembly and rejected attempts to politicise the enforcement exercise, noting that human life and public safety must take precedence over partisan considerations.
The Mayor later warned against unauthorised kiosks, roadside trading, cooking along gutters and other activities contributing to congestion and poor sanitation in Bukom and neighbouring communities.
He disclosed that similar enforcement exercises would be extended to other parts of Odododiodio, including Gbagbasetey, as the AMA intensifies efforts to improve sanitation, safety and order in the metropolis.
“Nobody will come from somewhere else to fix Accra for us,” he said, urging the youth of Ga Mashie to support efforts to transform their communities and desist from activities that undermine public safety and development.
Mayor Allotey also appealed to unemployed young people in Bukom and surrounding communities to take advantage of employment opportunities at the AMA, including positions in sanitation, revenue collection, town council operations and city enforcement.
Ghanaian boxer Braimah Kamoko, popularly known as Bukom Banku, who joined the exercise, pledged his support for the Mayor and urged him to continue enforcing the law without fear or favour.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
