The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has begun a major decongestion exercise in the Central Business District (CBD), starting with the re-demarcation of approved trading areas under the Red Line policy, which restricts trading to designated spaces.

The operation commenced at about 4:00 a.m. on Sunday and focused on restoring order along key commercial corridors by enforcing boundaries between permissible trading zones and no-trading areas on pavements and roads.

As part of the exercise, AMA officials marked sections around the Liberty House branch of GCB Bank PLC at Kantamanto, extending along the pavement toward the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, as no-trading zones.

City authorities also undertook a clean-up exercise that included washing streets and removing stones and other obstructions placed on roads and walkways.

Speaking during the operation, the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, said the Assembly had engaged traders extensively ahead of the exercise and had allowed roadside trading to continue through the Christmas festivities and beyond to enable traders to benefit from increased seasonal sales.

He explained that the city could no longer permit the sale of goods on roads and certain pavements, describing the situation as a major contributor to congestion and disorder in the business district.

According to the Mayor, although space exists within designated markets, many traders have declined to use those facilities and instead moved onto streets and walkways to sell their goods.

“With the festive season over, we must restore order and ensure trading takes place in appropriate locations,” he said.

Mr Allotey stressed that the decongestion exercise was not a one-day operation but a sustained programme that would run throughout the year as part of efforts to make Accra cleaner and better organised.