The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has announced the reintroduction of ‘Operation Don’t Cross the Red Line’ as part of renewed efforts to address congestion in Accra’s Central Business District (CBD).

The initiative originally implemented under former Mayor Alfred Oko Vanderpuije will return with stronger enforcement strategy and deeper collaboration with stakeholders, particularly market women.

He disclosed this on JoyNews PM Express on May 20, 2025, during a discussion about the ongoing decongestion exercise in the Greater Accra Region.

“It’s very simple. I’m going to work directly with the market women. They know the problems and they have told me what they want. That is what I’m going to do for them,” he stated.

As part of the initiative, clearly marked red lines will be drawn on the pavements to demarcate areas where street trading is prohibited.

He revealed plans to appoint four to five leaders from within the market community to assist in ensuring compliance among traders.

“We are going to stay back behind the red line, and the leaders will help control the traders. This is not a nine-day wonder, it is something that has come to stay,” he added.

He, however, stated that unlike previous efforts, the updated operation will deploy over 1,000 personnel to enforce the red line boundaries around the clock.

This, he said, is also part of a broader plan to transition the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) into a 24-hour operating system.

“We are starting with 24-hour ticketing, sanitation task forces, and market management. We want to make sure the city stays alive and orderly through the night,” he said.

Allotey stressed that maintaining clear roads and organised markets is one of the legacies he hopes to leave behind.

“If I am no longer the Mayor, I want people to remember that when we cleared the roads, they stayed cleared,” he added.

The renewed initiative is expected to begin immediately, starting from the AMA and extend to other parts of the capital city in the coming days.

MRA/VPO

After the heavy rains over the weekend, a lot of debris have been left across many parts of Accra. Watch some of the destructions below: