The Mayor of Accra, Michael Allotey, has announced that all items confiscated during the ongoing decongestion exercise in the Central Business District will be donated to the Ghana Prisons Service.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, May 20, after the first day of the operation, Mr. Allotey said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) will no longer auction seized items, a practice that had been in place for years.
“Tomorrow, you are not going to have it this way. I will pack all these things for the prison when I come tomorrow. Today is your lucky day,” he remarked, warning traders who had encroached on public spaces.
The decongestion campaign, which began in collaboration with the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), is aimed at reclaiming key sections of the capital from unlawful trading activities, enforcing city by-laws, and improving sanitation.
Day 1 of the operation targeted known congestion hotspots including Kinbu Road to the Railways, ECG Junction to the King Tackie Tawiah Statue, and Opera Square to Adabraka—areas notorious for unauthorized street vending and traffic bottlenecks.
Mayor Allotey made it clear that the AMA will sustain the effort until lasting order is restored in the capital.
“This exercise is not a nine-day wonder; we will be on the streets until we ensure that the roads are clear,” he emphasized.
The AMA has urged the public, especially street traders and commuters, to cooperate with the taskforce to ensure a smooth and peaceful operation.
