The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) task force on Wednesday removed a shop extension at Tudu following repeated warnings to the occupant, as the city entered the fourth day of its ongoing decongestion exercise.
The action, undertaken in line with the Assembly’s Red Line directive, forms part of efforts to restore pedestrian access and prevent the encroachment of public walkways. The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who ordered the removal, said the structure constructed with canopies had obstructed the pavement and restricted public use of the walkway.
Addressing traders during the operation, the mayor said the Assembly would not permit private interests to take over public spaces, stressing that pavements were state property intended for shared use and could not be commercialised.
He dismissed claims that the exercise was a revenue-generating activity, stating that he was not collecting money from traders and had directed his team to make it clear that trading spaces were not for sale.
The mayor said he was determined to ensure that the Assembly’s Red Line directive remained visible and enforced, describing the decongestion drive as a lasting legacy he intended to leave. He added that the exercise would continue despite criticism from some quarters.
He explained that the AMA’s actions were aimed at protecting the livelihoods of traders who could not afford permanent shops and urged shop owners to refrain from extending their businesses onto public walkways.
Mr Allotey warned that any trader occupying both a shop and an additional portion of the pavement would be removed to create space for others. He further cautioned that no individual had the authority to prevent fellow Ghanaians from trading in approved areas, adding that the AMA would intervene where wealth or influence was used to deny others access to such spaces.
Faustina Naa Ayeley Johnson, ISD
