Accra’s Latest Decongestion Drive Aims to Revive Business Confidence in City Core

In a renewed effort to boost commercial activity and improve accessibility, city authorities in Accra have launched another decongestion campaign targeting the Central Business District (CBD). The initiative, which seeks to clear unauthorized structures and ease traffic flow, is being positioned as a strategic move to attract more investors and businesses to the capital’s economic hub. While past attempts have struggled to yield lasting results, officials say this push is backed by stronger enforcement and stakeholder engagement

Accra is poised for another attempt to decongest the Central Business District (CBD) as Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey launches an ambitious exercise on Tuesday, May 20, aimed at cleaning up the CBD and ushering in a more structured, inclusive, and business-friendly capital city.

Speaking during a street engagement with hawkers across Kinbu Road, Kojo Thompson Road, Kantamanto, and other hotspots, Mayor Allotey outlined an urban reform agenda under the government‘s 24-hour economy policy, including infrastructure upgrades, flexible trading hours, and financial relief for market traders.

“This is not just Accra this is Ghana. Anyone who enters Ghana enters Accra. Look around, if this were your home, would you keep it like this?” the Mayor challenged traders, highlighting the need for collective responsibility in maintaining a clean, organized city.

The decongestion campaign represents more than an aesthetic overhaul; it sets the stage for a reimagined urban economy. Key components include; A rotational trading system to allow multiple vendors to share stalls in shifts, maximizing both space and opportunity.

Solar-powered street lights to extend operating hours and support evening commerce without reliance on the national grid.

Reduced trading ticket fees, with the Mayor announcing cuts from GH₵60 to GH₵40 and from GH₵30 to GH₵20 per week, to cushion small-scale traders amid a strengthening cedi.

Incentives for compliance, including direct rewards from the Mayor’s office for those who prepay and uphold regulations.

“If you buy tickets for two months and bring them to my office, I will reward you, because you are a good citizen,” Allotey promised. However, the Mayor cautioned, “But if you don’t pay and we catch you, we will charge you ten times the actual price.”

In a city where informal street trading sustains thousands, the operation’s success will depend on how effectively the authorities balance enforcement with support.

“We are not here to destroy livelihoods, please leave the street. I’m begging you. When you leave the street, we can clean the city. We will come and demarcate the area so that three people can rotate in one space each selling for eight hours.” Allotey stressed.

The Mayor also warned that unclaimed wares after Tuesday will be confiscated and donated to prisons or orphanages a move intended to deter non-compliance.

Despite the challenges ahead, the initiative has the potential to create a cleaner, safer, and more efficient marketplace vital for attracting investment, supporting small enterprises, and aligning Accra with global urban standards.

If sustained, the decongestion exercise could become a blueprint for inclusive urban growth, linking informal economies with structured city management under Ghana’s evolving 24-hour economy agenda.

Source: THJ

Last Updated on May 19, 2025 by samboad