A.M.A Arrests 21 Agbogbloshie Market Traders.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has arrested 21 traders for displaying and selling their wares on open drains at the Agbogbloshie Market, in clear violation of the city’s sanitation and public health by-laws.

The operation, carried out on Tuesday, was led by the Assembly’s Public Health Officers as part of ongoing efforts to sustain cleanliness in the Agbogbloshie enclave following the recent National Sanitation Day exercise and the reintroduction of the Clean Ghana Campaign Train, a renewed initiative to enforce hygiene and environmental health standards across the capital.

Prior to the enforcement exercise, the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, had toured the market and announced a two-week intensive clean-up and desilting operation to restore hygiene and clear the drains ahead of stricter enforcement.

Speaking after the arrests, the Metro Director of Public Health, Madam Florence Kuukyi, described Agbogbloshie as “one of the largest and most critical food supply centres in Accra,” serving nearly 80 percent of food vendors and handlers across the city.

She expressed disappointment that, despite repeated warnings and public education, some traders continued to flout sanitation rules by selling on the streets and over open drains.

“What we continue to observe is worrying. People have abandoned their stalls and locked their shops, only to display goods along the streets. This behaviour causes traffic congestion, creates unsanitary conditions, and exposes food items to contamination,” Madam Kuukyi said.

The Public Health Director warned that dust from passing vehicles often carries microorganisms that settle on exposed food items, increasing the risk of foodborne diseases. She also condemned the practice of pushing refuse into drains, which she said contributes significantly to flooding during the rainy season.

“Sanitation is a shared responsibility. It cannot be achieved by one person or one institution alone,” she stressed.

Madam Kuukyi said the Clean Ghana Campaign Train would continue to move through all sub-metropolitan areas in Accra without prior notice until full compliance with sanitation laws is achieved.

“You will never know when the campaign train will arrive, so it’s best to always keep your surroundings clean and operate according to the rules,” she cautioned.

Traders and Public Sensitization

The Director revealed that the Assembly’s Information Services Department (ISD) had conducted extensive public education ahead of the operation to ensure traders understood the importance of moving away from drains and streets.

She also disclosed that future enforcement would not only target offending traders but also buyers who patronize goods sold illegally, noting that discouraging street buying would naturally compel sellers to return to their designated stalls.

“If there are no buyers on the streets, the sellers will have no choice but to return to their stalls,” she explained.

Madam Kuukyi emphasized that the AMA’s enforcement efforts were not punitive but aimed at protecting public health and preventing accidents that often occur along crowded roadsides.

She added that all confiscated food items would be donated to children’s homes within Accra rather than returned to the offenders.

Public Reaction

Some traders at the market commended the Assembly’s move, describing it as necessary to restore discipline. A palm nut seller, who recounted a recent altercation after accidentally stepping on a tuber of yam due to congestion, praised the exercise.

“I’m happy with how the AMA team is handling the situation. If they keep coming around regularly, people will stop selling on the drains,” she said.

The AMA has reiterated its commitment to making Accra a cleaner, safer, and healthier city, urging both traders and residents to support ongoing efforts to sustain sanitation and order at Agbogbloshie and other markets across the metropolis.