AMA to relocate Central Business District hawkers in two months – Mayor
By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh
The Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has announced plans to provide designated trading spaces for hawkers currently operating in unauthorized areas within the Central Business District (CBD). The relocation is expected to be completed within the next two months.
The move is part of an ongoing decongestion exercise aimed at improving traffic flow and enhancing sanitation in the capital. The operation, dubbed “Red Line,” involves the creation of clearly marked zones to guide pedestrian movement and regulate street trading.
Speaking during a site inspection of the demarcation process on Wednesday, May 21, the Mayor reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to the exercise, emphasizing that it will be sustained until all objectives are achieved.
“We have to act quickly, and though the process may seem rushed, it is necessary for the greater good. Within a month or two, we will find a proper place for the traders to operate,” he said.
He also urged hawkers to cooperate with the Assembly’s directive, stressing that selling on the streets is not only unsafe but also unlawful.
“I didn’t ask the traders to sell on the street, and they know very well that where they are is not the right place. They should come to the market,” he added. The AMA’s decongestion campaign is part of broader efforts to promote urban order, ensure public safety, and create a cleaner, more organized city center.
