Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey has announced a GH¢1,000 Christmas package for traders who comply with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly's (AMA) red-line directive. The package is tied to traders vacating bus stops and remaining within designated trading zones ahead of the festive season. This move is part of the AMA's efforts to reduce congestion in Accra's Central Business District (CBD). The directive aims to ensure that commercial activity does not obstruct traffic, pedestrian walkways, or public transport operations.
The Accra mayor made the announcement on Saturday, 7 November 2026, during the November edition of National Sanitation Day. He emphasized that bus stops across the CBD were reserved exclusively for public transport services and ordered traders operating from those locations to relocate without delay. However, some traders had requested additional time until Monday to move their goods, and the Assembly granted that extension. Beyond the deadline, non-compliance would carry consequences, including the confiscation of goods left at bus stops.
The AMA is working alongside the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly on a broader festive-season traffic management strategy called Operation Let the Traffic Flow. The initiative aims to designate specific streets for trading during the Christmas period, temporarily closing selected high-traffic routes to vehicles while keeping alternative roads open for motorists and commuters. This coordinated approach is essential to avoid conflicting enforcement and ensure effective traffic management across their adjoining jurisdictions.
Korle Klottey Municipal Chief Executive Alfred Allotey Gaisie disclosed that planning for Operation Let the Traffic Flow was roughly 80 per cent complete, with further assessments still required before the arrangements could be formally rolled out. The proposed arrangement is designed to give traders legitimate, clearly defined spaces to operate during the busy festive period while relieving pressure on roads and public transport terminals.
The AMA's enforcement exercise is not an attempt to push traders out of the city centre but a necessary step to allow businesses, vehicles, and pedestrians to coexist in an ordered environment. The GH¢1,000 package is intended to signal the Assembly's genuine concern for traders' livelihoods while encouraging them to take personal responsibility for maintaining order in the city.
Goods left at bus stops after the agreed date would not be returned to their owners but would instead be donated to a children's home. The AMA and Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly are working to balance the economic needs of Accra's informal traders against the city's urgent requirement to keep its streets and bus stops accessible to all.
The initiative aims to give traders a chance to operate in an organized and structured manner during the festive season. By designating specific trading areas, the AMA and Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly hope to reduce congestion and promote a smooth flow of traffic in the city.
Key points
- The Accra Metropolitan Assembly is offering a GH¢1,000 Christmas package to traders who comply with its red-line directive.
- The directive aims to ensure that commercial activity does not obstruct traffic, pedestrian walkways, or public transport operations.
- The AMA is working with the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly to implement Operation Let the Traffic Flow, a festive-season traffic management strategy.
