Accra city authorities renew battle against roadside trading
3 min read
Accra revives street clearing campaign, sparking tension between order and livelihoods.
The bustling streets of Accra’s central business district are once again at the center of a familiar standoff. City authorities have relaunched a campaign to remove traders and hawkers who have taken over pavements and roadsides, converting pedestrian walkways and road shoulders into makeshift market stalls.
This renewed effort, spearheaded by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in collaboration with the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, aims to tackle urban congestion and restore order in the Ghanaian capital. Dubbed a joint decongestion exercise, the initiative began with task force teams moving through key areas of the city, urging unauthorized traders to vacate.
Walk through Accra on a typical day, and you’ll find pavements overwhelmed with a maze of merchandise—clothing, fruits, electronics, and household goods—all displayed by traders hoping to catch the attention of passersby. The once-clear pedestrian paths are now crowded, forcing people to walk on roads alongside cars, creating chaos and safety risks.
“This is not just about order, it’s about reclaiming the city,” said Gilbert Nii Ankrah, the Public Relations Officer for the AMA. He explained that the current operation builds on previous efforts like Operation Clean Your Frontage—a campaign that sought to encourage businesses and residents to maintain the areas in front of their properties.
“Those campaigns didn’t fail for lack of planning,” Ankrah said. “They struggled because of weak enforcement and inconsistent political will.”
Yet, amid this official drive for order, the human cost is significant. Many traders—especially women, who form the majority in informal trading—see the streets as their only source of income. Forced out of formal market spaces due to high rent or limited capacity, they have made the pavements their livelihood.
“I have mouths to feed,” said Agnes Aboagye, a mother of four who sells tomatoes and onions near Makola Market. “If we leave the streets, what’s the alternative? Government doesn’t give us jobs.”
Her frustration is echoed by many traders who feel targeted and ignored. While authorities cite safety concerns, public health issues, and urban aesthetics, traders insist that the lack of accessible, affordable trading spaces leaves them with little choice.
The city’s officials say they are aware of these concerns. “We’re not trying to punish anyone,” said a Korle Klottey task force supervisor. “But trading on pavements poses danger to both traders and pedestrians.”
Still, some residents question the sustainability of the operation. Accra has witnessed numerous decongestion drives over the years, often launched with fanfare but fading without long-term impact. Critics argue that unless alternative market facilities are provided and enforcement is continuous, the traders will simply return once the dust settles.
Urban planning experts have also weighed in. According to urban development consultant Kwame Asare, “The real issue is not just enforcement—it’s systemic. Accra needs a serious rethink of how we design and allocate space for informal economies. It’s not going away; we must plan for it.”
He points out that informal trading contributes significantly to the city’s economy, employing thousands who would otherwise remain jobless. The challenge, he says, is balancing economic survival with the need for law, order, and a livable urban environment.
As the clean-up campaign gains momentum, the public remains cautiously optimistic. Some residents support the initiative, saying the pavements must be cleared to improve mobility and aesthetics. Others worry that the exercise, like many before it, may be temporary.
For now, Accra is in a state of flux—caught between a vision of urban order and the pressing realities of informal survival. Whether this latest attempt will succeed depends not only on enforcement but also on empathy, planning, and political will.
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