The days of traders hawking their wares and vagrants seeking shelter under the shadow of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange are numbered. The Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Michael Kpakpo Allotey has issued a directive ordering an immediate halt to all unauthorised activities beneath the iconic bridge, warning that offenders risk arrest and prosecution.
The Mayor issued the directive on Tuesday when he led a team of officers from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to clear food vendors, beggars and persons sleeping under the Korle Klottey section of the bridge.
The exercise formed part of his working visit to the Okaikoi South Sub-Metropolitan District, where he inspected building permits, sanitation conditions, and compliance with Assembly by-laws.
Speaking during the operation, the Mayor said the Assembly would no longer tolerate the use of the space under the interchange for commercial activities, food vending, sleeping or any other unauthorised purpose. He stressed that the area must be kept clean, safe and free from obstruction.
“Anyone found selling, hawking or engaging in any form of illegal activity under the interchange will be dealt with according to law,” Allotey warned, adding that the exercise formed part of broader efforts to restore order and improve sanitation within the city.
The team cleared makeshift structures and unauthorised activities that had taken over parts of the area, creating insanitary conditions and posing safety risks to both motorists and pedestrians. The scene under the interchange had become a microcosm of the city’s broader challenges: congestion, filth, and flagrant disregard for regulations.
Before the inspection under the interchange, the Mayor led the task force to demolish illegal wooden structures erected along the shoulder of the Otublohum Road, near the Circle VVIP Station.
He said such illegal structures contributed to congestion, poor sanitation and obstruction of public spaces, warning that the Assembly would continue to take firm action against persons who put up structures without approval.
The Mayor also directed owners of drinking spots, managers of the VVIP Station and cattle owners operating along Otublohum Road to desilt choked gutters in the area within 24 hours or face sanctions.
Allotey said the AMA would continue to enforce its by-laws on sanitation, building permits and public order, and urged residents, traders, transport operators and business owners to support efforts to make Accra clean, safe and orderly.
