'Where do you expect us to go?' – Traders cry over AMA decongestion exercise

Traders affected by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s (AMA) decongestion exercise have appealed to authorities to reconsider the timing of the operation, questioning why they are being forced out of their trading spaces barely a month before Christmas.

The traders, who expressed frustration over the exercise in an interview with the media on Monday, November 9, 2026, said the move could leave many of them struggling to make ends meet during one of the busiest trading periods of the year.

One visibly frustrated trader questioned the rationale behind the exercise, directly appealing to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene.

“Where do you expect us to go just a month before Christmas, John Mahama? What are we supposed to do? Did you come to power to make us suffer?” the trader asked.

Their concerns follow a directive by the AMA giving traders occupying unauthorised bus stops 48 hours to stop trading and vacate the affected locations ahead of an enforcement exercise.

Accra Decongestion Exercise: See the areas to be affected from May 20

In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the Assembly said the directive was prompted by complaints from commercial drivers about hawkers and other traders occupying designated bus stops.

According to the AMA, the activities of the traders obstruct the movement of vehicles and pedestrians, worsen traffic congestion and force commuters to board and alight from vehicles at unsafe locations, increasing the risk of road accidents.

The Assembly disclosed that the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, had already initiated enforcement measures, including the removal of traders occupying unauthorised spaces around the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Achimota and parts of the Central Business District.

It subsequently directed hawkers and traders to vacate designated bus stops immediately and stop conducting business in areas reserved for the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

The AMA also warned traders against returning to locations that have already been cleared, cautioning that anyone who reoccupies the spaces could face further enforcement action, including prosecution.

The Assembly maintains that the exercise is intended to restore order in public spaces, improve road safety and ensure that designated bus stops serve their intended purpose.

However, with the Christmas trading season approaching, the affected traders are questioning the timing of the operation, arguing that the exercise threatens their livelihoods at a time when many businesses depend on increased commercial activity to generate income.

See the video below :

“Where do you expect us to go just a month before Christmas, John Mahama? What are we supposed to do? Did you come into power to make us suffer?”

— Some affected traders question the timing of the AMA’s decongestion exercise, saying the move could affect their livelihoods during the approaching festive season.

— THE STATE NEWS (@THESTATENEWSS) November 9, 2026

JKB/EA

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