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.

The operation, which commenced around 8:00 a.m., was led by the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who monitored compliance with the directive despite persistent rainfall in parts of the metropolis.

At the Kaneshie Market, the Mayor, together with the Municipal Chief Executive for Ablekuma Central, Hon. Frank Nkansah, inspected sections of the market affected by flooding.

The team engaged traders on the need to clear blocked pathways and drainage channels to allow rainwater to flow freely and reduce the incidence of recurring floods in the area.

The inspection later moved to the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) lorry station at Kaneshie, around the First Light area, where the Mayor interacted with drivers, station officials and shop owners.

He listened to their concerns and used the opportunity to explain the objectives of the decongestion exercise, as well as the boundaries established under the Red Line policy.

Addressing the media, Hon. Allotey acknowledged the mixed reactions to the exercise, noting that while some traders had embraced the policy, others remained opposed.

He stressed, however, that strict enforcement was necessary to promote order, safety and accountability within the city’s commercial hubs.

Describing the third day of the operation as largely successful, the Mayor pointed to increased compliance, particularly among women traders.

He added that some traders had even called for tougher enforcement to ensure fairness and sustain the gains made so far.

The AMA has reiterated that the decongestion exercise is a sustained effort and will continue across key markets and transport corridors in the city.

The warning was issued on Monday as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) commenced full enforcement of its decongestion programme, aimed at clearing trading and other activities from restricted road shoulders and pavements under the Red Line policy.

The operation, which officially began on February 1, started at around 7:00 a.m. and continued until approximately 5:00 p.m. The AMA task force moved through major commercial corridors, starting from the Assembly’s premises at Kinbu, then the CMB area near the Central Police Station, UTC, Rawlings Park, the Law School enclave, and ending around the Cocoa Board median near the Farisco traffic light.

Leading the exercise, Mayor Allotey stressed that government land and approved trading spaces were not for sale. He warned that anyone extorting money from traders in the name of the operation would face legal action.

He further cautioned that goods displayed on the wrong side of the red line were liable to seizure, and offenders could be prosecuted at the sanitation court and fined according to the law.

The Mayor emphasised that the exercise is not intended to permanently displace traders but to restore order, improve public safety, and enhance the appearance of the city.

“Our focus is to stop trading on roads and pavements, reduce refuse accumulation in busy commercial areas, and ensure public spaces are used for their designated purposes,” he said.

Mr. Allotey also warned against attempts to use vulnerability or hardship as grounds for non-compliance, stressing that the rules apply equally to all traders operating along restricted corridors.

He reiterated that the decongestion exercise will be sustained as part of broader efforts to make Accra cleaner, safer, and more orderly.

The operation commenced at about 4:00 a.m. on Sunday and focused on restoring order along key commercial corridors by enforcing boundaries between permissible trading zones and no-trading areas on pavements and roads.

As part of the exercise, AMA officials marked sections around the Liberty House branch of GCB Bank PLC at Kantamanto, extending along the pavement toward the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, as no-trading zones. City authorities also undertook a clean-up exercise that included washing streets and removing stones and other obstructions placed on roads and walkways.

Speaking during the operation, the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, said the Assembly had engaged traders extensively ahead of the exercise and had allowed roadside trading to continue through the Christmas festivities and beyond to enable traders to benefit from increased seasonal sales.

He explained that the city could no longer permit the sale of goods on roads and certain pavements, describing the situation as a major contributor to congestion and disorder in the business district.

According to the Mayor, although space exists within designated markets, many traders have declined to use those facilities and instead moved onto streets and walkways to sell their goods.

“With the festive season over, we must restore order and ensure trading takes place in appropriate locations,” he said.

Mr Allotey stressed that the decongestion exercise was not a one-day operation but a sustained programme that would run throughout the year as part of efforts to make Accra cleaner and better organised.

He added that the Assembly would enforce the Red Line policy consistently and would not permit trading on roads and pavements going forward.

The Mayor further cautioned that traders allowed to operate near pavements must comply strictly with the approved boundaries, noting that the AMA would maintain enforcement across the year to prevent a return to congestion in the CBD.

Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI blames the KMA for the rampant mounting of kiosks and containers and allowing congestion at the city centre which he says is turning the once flourishing Garden city into a village.

Sharing his New Year message with Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor, Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI pointed out that the city has become ungovernable, with perpetrators going unpunished. 

The Kumasi metro houses a population of 3,630,000 as of the end of 2022. 

The city is the second-largest in Ghana, after the capital city Accra.

The city was referred to as the Garden City due to its green area cover and brilliant settlement layout.

Underdevelopment emanating from Issues of congestion, open space filth, street markets, and uncompleted government projects are eroding the said legacy of the city.

According to the Bantamahene, Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, people with political authority have ignored calls for the development of the city.

“I had the opportunity to put this issue before the Regional Minister when he addressed the regional house. We have nobody to blame other than the KMA and its assembly members. We know assembly members take money from these people to put up these structures. 

“Pavements inhabited by people doing business. It has made Kumasi look like a village. Some laws must be adhered to. But once they (traders) get the authorization from the assembly and authorities,  they do not care about the authority of Nananom,” he said.

“Decongestion issues in Kumasi are serious to the extent that people are selling tomatoes in front of Komfo Anokye hospital. We want a KMA that would be able to decongest the city. Nananom does not have political power. The political power is with the KMA. We have had a meeting with them and came up with the issue of filth and the issue of trying to put Kumasi in order. In 2023, if they fail to do it, Nananom will take it upon ourselves to make sure Kumasi is clean.

“There are projects currently being done by Nananom and not the KMA. We are trying to privatize the road in front of Manhyia. If we keep waiting for the government, things are not going to happen. People say Kumasi is the second city, however, in terms of development, Kumasi is 50 years behind Accra, which is not acceptable. Kumasi is turning into a village,” he added.