Day 2: AMA Cracks Down on Congestion at Circle Neoplan

On the second day of its city-wide decongestion campaign, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), in collaboration with National Security officers and the Police, carried out a sweeping exercise at Circle Neoplan, a key transit area in Accra.

The operation, held on Wednesday, focused on removing illegal structures, unauthorised street vending, and enforcing sanitation and traffic regulations. The move forms part of AMA’s broader effort to reclaim public spaces and improve the city’s safety and cleanliness.

Joseph Asitanga, the Environmental Health Officer in charge of the operation, said the activity was long overdue.

“This place was designed as a bus stop to help passengers move easily, but it’s now completely taken over by shops and markets,” he said.

“There’s no space for people to even stop and catch a bus.”

He added that the space had not only been turned into a bustling commercial hub but had also become a makeshift residential area.

“People are living here with mattresses and using dangerous, illegal electricity connections. It’s a safety risk waiting to happen,” he warned.

According to Mr. Asitanga, the AMA had already carried out sensitisation campaigns in the area to inform squatters and traders about the planned decongestion. “We’ve gone around Accra Central and the Circle area to talk to people. This is not a sudden move,” he noted.

He also stressed that all bus stops in Accra must be cleared and reserved for public transport purposes. “We are starting here, but this will continue to other locations where trading has taken over public spaces meant for passengers,” he said.

The AMA urged those affected to remove their belongings peacefully and relocate to safer, authorised locations. “If you have any personal items, take them somewhere safe. But this entire stretch, from the bridge to the Circle roundabout, must be cleared,” Mr. Asitanga concluded.

The exercise is expected to restore proper order and safety in some of Accra’s most congested transport hubs, with AMA pledging to continue the campaign until all targeted areas are cleared