The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has given traders occupying unauthorised spaces at designated bus stops across the metropolis 48 hours to vacate ahead of an intensified enforcement exercise.
The directive follows concerns raised by commercial drivers over traders occupying designated bus stops, obstructing vehicle movement and pedestrian access and creating safety risks for commuters.
The AMA said the situation “contributes to traffic congestion and forces commuters to board and alight from vehicles at unsafe locations, increasing the risk of road accidents.”
The directive comes as commercial transport operators push for the removal of traders from designated bus stops, arguing that their occupation makes it difficult for drivers to comply with traffic regulations and safely pick up and drop off passengers.
According to the Assembly, Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey has already initiated enforcement measures, including the removal of traders occupying unauthorised spaces at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Achimota and parts of the Central Business District.
The AMA urged hawkers and traders to “immediately vacate designated bus stops and refrain from trading in areas reserved for the movement and stopping of vehicles and pedestrians.”
It warned that enforcement would be intensified against persons who disregard the directive in accordance with the Assembly’s by-laws, adding that traders who return to cleared locations could face further action, including prosecution.
