The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Tuesday cleared unauthorised structures around the Achimota New Overhead Ayalolo bus stop, in an operation officials say is intended to free up space for commercial buses—particularly Ayalolo buses—to load and offload passengers without obstruction.
The exercise, led by Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey, forms part of a broader enforcement drive to reclaim public spaces occupied by traders and improve access to public transport facilities in the capital. The Mayor worked in collaboration with the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly to remove structures and trading activities from unauthorised spaces within the city.
The clearance is expected to ease congestion around the bus stop and allow Ayalolo buses to operate more reliably. The operation is also aimed at ensuring that bus stops remain free of trading activities so commercial buses can move without interference.
A Pattern of Enforcement
Tuesday’s operation is the latest in a series of enforcement actions the AMA has undertaken in recent months to restore order at Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) facilities across Accra. In early October 2026, the Assembly cleared traders from the Aayalolo BRT shelter near the former Telecel office at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, where vendors had been selling mobile phones and accessories from within the shelter, forcing commuters onto the road .
Speaking during that earlier exercise, Mayor Allotey said the operations were not intended to deprive anyone of a livelihood but were necessary to restore order and protect commuters. He noted that a pedestrian had previously been knocked down by a vehicle in the area, and said the Assembly could not ignore activities that exposed commuters to preventable danger .
“This is an Aayalolo bus stop. We have said in the media and at press conferences that people should desist from occupying the bus stops so that Aayalolo can work again,” Allotey said at the time .
The AMA has also been enforcing its “Red Line” policy in the Central Business District, clearing traders from pavements and road shoulders since February 2026 . The Mayor has repeatedly stressed that public spaces are not for sale and that no one has the authority to demand money from traders under the guise of protecting their spaces.
Background: A System Under Strain
The push to clear bus stops comes as the government attempts to revive the Ayalolo BRT system, which has struggled with reliability and infrastructure challenges. In September 2026, the government introduced a contra-flow arrangement on three major corridors—Amasaman–Accra, Adenta–Accra, and Kasoa–Accra—allowing Ayalolo buses to use designated lanes during peak hours to bypass traffic .
Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga has acknowledged that the service must be genuinely rapid to attract commuters. During a tour of Ayalolo terminals in September, he observed that many buses at the Achimota terminal were damaged, and stressed that the system needed dedicated routes and stronger inter-ministerial collaboration to function effectively .
The Achimota New Overhead stop is a key node in the Ayalolo network, serving commuters travelling between the northern parts of Accra and the central business district. Clearing obstructions at the stop is seen as a prerequisite for restoring predictable service on the route.
What Comes Next
The AMA said it would continue enforcement at other BRT shelters and public transport facilities across the metropolis. The Assembly has framed the operations as part of a longer-term effort to regulate the use of public spaces and improve traffic management in the capital.
For the traders affected by Tuesday’s clearance, the Assembly has maintained that the operations are not aimed at individuals but at restoring public infrastructure to its intended use. Whether affected vendors will be relocated to designated trading spaces remains unclear; the AMA has previously pointed to ongoing market redevelopment projects as a long-term solution to congestion and informal trading in public areas .
