The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has fined about 40 traders operating at Rawlings Park in Accra a total of GH¢4,000 for defying directives to suspend trading during the National Sanitation Day (NSD) clean-up exercise.
The traders were sanctioned on Monday after appealing to the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, to intervene and allow them to resume business. They had earlier been stopped from trading for opening their shops and continuing commercial activities despite prior notice to halt operations during the exercise.
The NSD clean-up forms part of the Assembly’s broader efforts to improve environmental sanitation, promote public health, and encourage active participation from residents and businesses in maintaining a clean city.
Speaking after the enforcement action, Mayor Allotey clarified that the directive was not intended to punish traders but to ensure collective responsibility in keeping the metropolis clean.
He stressed that the success of the exercise depends on the cooperation of all stakeholders, particularly traders in busy commercial hubs such as Rawlings Park, Makola, Agbogbloshie, and the Central Business District.
According to the Assembly, multiple public announcements were made ahead of the exercise, cautioning traders, shop owners, and hawkers to suspend operations and take part in the clean-up. However, some individuals failed to comply, necessitating the sanctions.
The Mayor noted that the fines are meant to serve as a deterrent to others who may ignore future sanitation directives.
He added that the clean-up exercise focuses on clearing refuse, desilting drains, removing filth from trading areas, and improving overall sanitation—especially as the rainy season approaches.
Mayor Allotey further warned that poor sanitation practices, including indiscriminate dumping of waste and choked drains, continue to pose serious public health risks and contribute to flooding in the city.
He urged residents and traders to embrace cleanliness as a shared responsibility and support ongoing efforts to make Accra safer, cleaner, and healthier.
The Assembly has reiterated its commitment to enforcing sanitation by-laws and cautioned that defaulters will continue to face sanctions during future exercises.
