Accra Mayor Michael Allotey has given traders a final warning to vacate pavements and busy roads by May 20.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly will enforce this directive, citing safety hazards and urban congestion caused by unauthorized trading.
According to him, traders who fail to comply will be forcibly removed.
“There’s no time for empty promises,” the mayor declared. “From the day I took office, I made a commitment to myself: ‘I’ll make sure my car is clean.’ It’s a personal promise, but today, I am making that promise to all of us. The streets are not for selling. They are places for cars, not for trade” he said.
He raised concern about how pavements, originally intended for pedestrian use, have become overrun by petty traders, creating unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
“The pavements have become overcrowded, and now they occupy almost half of the streets. If I wait for something bad to happen, they might even turn against the mayor of this city,” he emphasized.
Mr. Allotey emphasized the operation aims to improve Accra’s infrastructure and mobility, not to target specific groups.
“We are not removing traders simply because we have the power to do so. Our goal is to keep the city clean,” he said.
“We have consulted with market women, the GPRTU, and the police. We are doing this to improve conditions for everyone.”
He said enforcement would begin from Okaishie, extending through Circle and Kaneshie. As the mayor of Accra, I cannot allow this to continue. Starting on Tuesday, we will begin the exercise. Please understand, we are not targeting anyone personally.”
The mayor pleaded and asked traders to move before their arrival.
“This is a promise I intend to keep. If by Tuesday you have not moved, we will have no choice but to remove you” he said.
