Accra city authorities renew battle against roadside trading

Accra’s central business district has become the flashpoint of a growing conflict between city authorities and traders occupying roadsides and pavements, turning them into makeshift markets.

On any given day, walkways meant for pedestrians are choked with hawkers, traders, and makeshift stalls, making movement nearly impossible. The struggle for space between vehicles and people has turned into a daily challenge.

In what officials are calling a renewed effort to reclaim the capital, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly have launched a joint decongestion exercise. The operation aims to clear unauthorised traders and structures congesting the city’s thoroughfares.

Task force members were seen engaging with traders, urging them to vacate the spaces peacefully. But many of the traders, predominantly women, voiced their frustration, citing the lack of alternative livelihoods.

“We’re just trying to survive,” said Agnes Aboagye, a long-time trader. “Where do they expect us to go?”

This tension highlights a long-standing dilemma: livelihoods versus law and order.

The AMA’s Public Relations Officer, Gilbert Nii Ankrah, acknowledged the challenges ahead, referencing previous efforts like Operation Clean Your Frontage and other short-lived beautification campaigns.

“It’s not for lack of effort,” Ankrah stated. “What’s often missing is the political will to see it through.”

The question remains: Will this initiative succeed where so many others have failed? Or will it fade out, leaving Accra’s streets once again overrun?

For now, Accra waits and watches.