The Mayor of Accra, Michael Allotey, has announced that items seized during the ongoing decongestion exercise in the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra will be donated to the Ghana Prisons Service.
This marks a significant shift from the previous practice where seized goods were auctioned by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). According to the Mayor, this new approach is part of a broader effort to enforce city by-laws and ensure compliance among informal traders.
The decongestion exercise, which began on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, is being jointly carried out by the AMA and the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA). The operation targets areas notorious for street vending and traffic obstruction, including: Kinbu Road to Railways, ECG Junction to the King Tackie Tawiah Statue and Opera Square to Adabraka. These areas are known to be high-traffic zones frequently blocked by unauthorized traders and structures.
Speaking to journalists after Day One of the operation, Mayor Allotey issued a clear warning to violators:
“Tomorrow, you are not going to have it this way. I will pack all these things for the prison when I come tomorrow. Today is your lucky day,” he said.
He also stressed that this is not a one-time operation but a sustained campaign to reclaim public spaces and improve movement for both pedestrians and motorists.
“This exercise is not a nine-day wonder; we will be on the streets until we ensure that the roads are clear,” he added.
The AMA is expected to intensify the exercise in the coming days, with authorities urging street vendors to relocate to designated trading spaces to avoid losing their goods.
Residents and commuters have welcomed the initiative but are calling for consistency and long-term enforcement to ensure lasting results.