Christmas showdown: AMA clears traders from bus stops

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has begun clearing traders from bus stops across the capital as part of a 40-day enforcement exercise aimed at reclaiming public spaces and easing congestion ahead of the Christmas festivities.

The operation, led by Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey on Monday, November 9, 2026, followed a 48-hour ultimatum issued to traders on Friday, November 6, directing them to vacate bus stops and other unauthorised trading spaces.

The exercise, carried out in collaboration with the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), saw unauthorised trading activities cleared and goods occupying designated bus stop spaces seized.

The enforcement team began at the ATU Bus Stop before moving through Circle, Telecel Bus Stop, Kingsway, Kantamanto and Rawlings Park, eventually ending at the 31st December Market Bus Stop.

Speaking to the media after the exercise, Mayor Allotey said the Assembly had given traders sufficient time to comply with the directive before resorting to enforcement.

He explained that the operation was intended to restore the proper use of bus stops and provide commercial vehicle operators with adequate space to pick up and drop off passengers without obstruction.

According to him, the exercise has become particularly necessary ahead of Christmas, when increased trading activities and the movement of people are expected to put additional pressure on Accra's roads and public spaces.

The Mayor said the ongoing operation forms part of a broader 40-day intervention to restore order on the city's roads and reclaim public spaces, with particular attention to bus stops.

He disclosed that the exercise would not be limited to Accra but extended to neighbouring municipalities, including Ga North, Ga Central, Ablekuma South, Ablekuma North, Okaikwei North and Korle Klottey.

He stressed that cooperation among the various assemblies was crucial to tackling urban management challenges, explaining that activities in one municipality could directly affect neighbouring areas.

Beyond the enforcement exercise, Mayor Allotey also provided an update on the redevelopment of the 31st December Makola Market, announcing that work on the first phase was progressing steadily.

He said the first phase was expected to be completed within the next three weeks, while the second phase was scheduled for completion by December 2026.

The third phase, he added, was expected to be completed between January and February 2027.

The Mayor described the redevelopment project as an opportunity for the government to demonstrate its commitment to delivering on its promises to Ghanaians.

EA