The new Mayor of Accra,  Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has held his maiden stakeholder engagement with key interest groups in the capital, pledging to work to reset Accra’s development trajectory and make the city cleaner, safer, and more inclusive.

The engagement, held at the Omanye Aba Hall of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), on the Mayor’s second day in office, brought together market leaders, transport unions, representatives of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Traditional Authorities, Civil Society Actors, and Assembly members to discuss challenges and explore opportunities for sustainable urban transformation.

Speaking at the event, Mayor Allotey expressed deep appreciation to the stakeholders for honouring the invitation and revealed plans to introduce a 24-hour city operation model, including a clean-up and security task force that would help improve sanitation and ensure safety, particularly for businesses operating late into the night.

“We’re bringing 24-hour security and a clean-up task force so that you will be able to work in the evening without fear, and we will create more employment opportunities through this approach,” he said.

The Mayor pledged to work closely with all groups to address them systematically, calling for unity and action.

He also promised that within six months, “our environment will be very clean, very tidy,” pointing out that the filth in Accra had become unacceptable and needed urgent attention.

The President of the Greater Accra Markets Association, Hon. Mercy Naa Afrowa Needjan, commended the Mayor for initiating the stakeholder engagement so early in his tenure and described the meeting as a much-needed familiarisation exercise that allowed market leaders to interact directly with the Mayor and offer first-hand accounts of conditions on the ground.

Mr. Needjan outlined several concerns facing markets across the capital, including rampant street trading, inadequate security, and deteriorating infrastructure in older market facilities.

“Street trading is one of our biggest problems, and some of our markets urgently need renovation. We know the problems can’t be solved in a day, but bit by bit, we believe improvements can be made,” she stated.

The Secretary General of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Alhaji Alpha Shaban, described the meeting as a positive first step and emphasised the longstanding and inseparable partnership between GUTA and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

Alhaji Shaban urged the Assembly to take a proactive approach by setting up a technical committee to verify the concerns raised during the meeting, to help build consensus and make the implementation of solutions more effective.

Representatives from the Timber Market lamented the long walking distances within the market space, stressing the need for improved infrastructure and accessibility.

 Leaders of the Ghana Road Coordinating Council expressed concern about the deplorable state of many transport terminals across the city and called on the Assembly to lead efforts in standardising and upgrading these terminals for efficient operations.

Transport operators, including officials from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Property Transport Association, expressed concerns over how drivers often struggle for space due to traders operating along the roadsides, leading to traffic congestion, delays, and increased fuel consumption.