The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) task force has removed a shop extension at Tudu following repeated warnings, as the city entered day four of its decongestion exercise aimed at restoring pedestrian access and enforcing the Assembly’s Red Line directive.
The removal, carried out on Wednesday, followed an order by the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who said the extension, constructed with canopies, had obstructed the pavement and restricted public use of the walkway.
Addressing traders during the operation, the Mayor stressed that private interests could not take over public space. “Pavements are state property meant for everyone and cannot be treated as a commodity,” he said.
He emphasized that he was not collecting money from anyone and had instructed his team to make it clear that the trading space was not for sale.
Mayor Allotey said he was determined to ensure the Red Line remained visible and enforced, describing the effort to clear streets and regulate trading as a lasting legacy. He added that the decongestion exercise would continue despite criticism from some quarters.
He explained that the Assembly’s actions were intended to protect livelihoods for traders who could not afford permanent shops and urged those with permanent structures to refrain from expanding onto public walkways.
The Mayor warned that any trader occupying both a shop and an additional portion of the pavement would be removed to create space for others. He also cautioned that no one had the authority to prevent fellow Ghanaians from trading in approved spaces, and the AMA would intervene if individuals used wealth or influence to block others from operating.
