Traders in parts of Accra have expressed frustration and concern over the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s (AMA) decongestion exercise, questioning where they are expected to continue their businesses following the removal of traders operating from unauthorised locations.
The exercise, which forms part of efforts by the Assembly to restore order in the capital, has affected several commercial areas where traders have been selling their goods along pavements, roadsides, footbridges and other public spaces.
Some of the affected traders say the operation threatens their livelihoods, particularly those who depend on daily sales to support their families. They have appealed to the authorities to consider their circumstances and provide alternative trading locations before removing them from their existing business spaces.
One of the traders, Madam Akosua Donkor, expressed her frustration over the exercise, questioning where traders were expected to go after losing the places where they had established their businesses.
Her concerns reflect the difficulties faced by many informal sector operators who rely on roadside trading and other unauthorised spaces to earn their daily income.
Another affected trader, Madam Talatu Samdu, also complained about the situation, explaining that ongoing construction work inside the market had forced her to move her business to the pavement.
According to her, the decision to trade outside the market was not necessarily out of choice but was influenced by the challenges associated with finding suitable space within the market.
She further expressed dissatisfaction over the seizure of her goods, claiming that traders were given very little notice before the authorities took action.
The traders have therefore called on the AMA to adopt a more considerate approach that would allow them to continue earning a living while efforts are made to improve the organisation of commercial activities in the capital.
The decongestion exercise was undertaken by the AMA in collaboration with the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) as part of a broader campaign to address persistent congestion and sanitation challenges in Accra.
The operation targeted several busy commercial locations, including Makola, Tudu, Kinbu, Rawlings Park, the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Circle and Kaneshie.
These areas have long experienced challenges associated with roadside trading, illegal structures, pedestrian obstruction and the occupation of public spaces by commercial operators.
The authorities have argued that clearing the affected locations is necessary to improve traffic flow, restore pedestrian walkways, enhance sanitation and make public spaces safer and more accessible.
The AMA has maintained that the decongestion exercise is intended to bring discipline to commercial activities and address the growing difficulties pedestrians and motorists encounter in some parts of the capital.
The Assembly also indicated that items seized during the operation would be donated to the Ghana Prisons Service rather than auctioned.
However, the concerns raised by the traders have brought renewed attention to the difficulties of balancing urban development and the survival of informal businesses.
While many residents and commuters have welcomed efforts to clear pavements and roadsides, affected traders believe that enforcement should be accompanied by practical arrangements to accommodate those whose livelihoods depend on street trading.
The situation has consequently raised questions about the availability of affordable trading spaces, market infrastructure and the need for consultations between local authorities and informal sector operators.
For the affected traders, the concern is not necessarily opposition to making Accra cleaner and more organised, but the uncertainty surrounding where they will go and how they will support their families after losing their current trading locations.
Watch the video below:
“Where do you expect us to go just a month before Christmas, John Mahama? What are we supposed to do? Did you come into power to make us suffer?”
— Some affected traders question the timing of the AMA’s decongestion exercise, saying the move could affect their livelihoods during the approaching festive season.
— THE STATE NEWS (@THESTATENEWSS) November 9, 2026
Source: Thepressradio.com
