Coronavirus: Limited human and vehicular activities in Accra as markets close for disinfection exercise

Crowded streets and heavy road traffic with an ambiance of rattling car engines and human activities is the usual scene in the commercial parts of Accra, especially on weekdays.

On Monday March 23, 2020, however, there was free flow of traffic within the Accra metropolis with little vehicular movements within the city.

The phenomenon was due to the 'temporal ban' on traders not to operate as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) with other stakeholders embarked on a disinfection exercise.

On a tour to some lorry stations by Ghanaweb.com, some commercial vehicle drivers popularly known as ‘trotro’ drivers at the 37 station, who looked all poised for business had little or no work to do as their cars were only dotted with a handful of passengers.

In other areas within Accra Central where business is usually brisk, ‘trotro’ has gotten the rippling effect of the disinfection exercise.

Drivers are on a temporary leave as those who cannot stand the frustration of going on trips with near empty lorries have been compelled to park in stations and by roadsides.

Equally, trotro activities within the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and Newtown enclave have slowed down as most of the ‘clienteles’ are traders who are currently in their homes as directed by the AMA.

On the flip side, some passengers who had to go to work, have had to wait for long periods before getting a trotro to board to their various workplaces.