Just days after the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), led by Mayor Kpakpo Allotey, launched a decongestion exercise to clear street traders from Accra Central, traders have returned to previously cleared areas.
On Saturday, May 24, a visit to the central business district revealed a swift reversal. Streets stretching from the AMA headquarters to the Ghana School of Law and the Makola Fire Station were once again filled with traders, despite the recent directive.
Initially, the decongestion initiative saw widespread compliance, easing traffic congestion in key areas like Rawlings Park, Tudu, and its adjoining roads. Drivers lauded the improved flow and shorter travel times.
“The traffic on Thursday was unbelievable. Smooth and fast,” one commercial driver said. “If I had known the traders were back today, I would have avoided this route.”
Another driver lamented the apparent absence of enforcement over the weekend: “It feels like laws don’t apply on weekends in Ghana. If we don’t enforce rules consistently, nothing will change.”
Other hotspots such as Kaneshie, Nkrumah Circle, and Timbu have also seen traders resume operations, with no AMA task force in sight.
The quick return of traders raises serious concerns about the sustainability of the AMA’s decongestion effort. Without ongoing monitoring and consistent enforcement, many fear the exercise may end up being a temporary fix.
Residents and road users are now calling for a long-term strategy. Will the AMA step up with renewed action, or has the decongestion drive already failed?
