AMA Mayor Announces GH¢1,000 Christmas Package for Traders Who Comply With Red-Line Directive
Story by: Regina Bless
The Mayor of Accra, Hon. 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 and operate within designated trading areas.
The initiative forms part of efforts to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow and maintain order in the Central Business District ahead of the Christmas festivities.
The announcement was made during the November edition of the National Sanitation Day on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Hon. Allotey said the Assembly recognised the important role traders played in the local economy and was committed to supporting their livelihoods while ensuring that commercial activities did not obstruct roads, pedestrian walkways and public transport terminals.
He directed traders operating at bus stops to vacate the areas immediately, stressing that such locations were reserved exclusively for public transport operations.
The Mayor explained that traders who had appealed for an extension until Monday had been given additional time to relocate. However, he warned that goods left at the bus stops after the deadline would be confiscated and donated to a children’s home.
He further clarified that the Assembly was not seeking to drive traders away from the Central Business District but wanted them to conduct their businesses within approved trading spaces.
As part of the broader arrangements, the AMA, in collaboration with neighbouring assemblies, is planning to designate selected streets for trading during the Christmas season under an initiative dubbed “Operation Let the Traffic Flow.”
The Municipal Chief Executive for Korle Klottey, Hon. Alfred Allotey-Gaisie, also disclosed that the two assemblies were working together to develop a coordinated approach to managing trading activities and easing congestion across their adjoining jurisdictions.
He explained that the proposed arrangement would involve temporarily closing selected streets with heavy trading activities to vehicular traffic, allowing traders to operate while traffic is redirected through alternative routes.
According to him, preparations for the designated trading arrangements were approximately 80 per cent complete, with further assessments expected before implementation.
The initiative is expected to provide traders with designated spaces to operate during the festive season while helping to ease congestion and improve movement within Accra’s Central Business District.