The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has engaged traders and market women across selected markets and trading centres in the Central Business District (CBD) as part of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s (AMA) Christmas holiday revenue mobilisation drive.
During the engagement, the Mayor urged traders to pay only approved tolls and fees and to insist on official receipts for all payments made to Assembly collectors.
The exercise forms part of the AMA’s efforts to sustain essential city services during the festive season, including enhanced sanitation delivery, routine clean-ups, and public safety support at busy commercial and transport hubs.
Addressing the traders, Hon. Allotey explained that the holiday tolls and market fees are critical to the Assembly’s operations, particularly during the Christmas period when business activity and waste generation increase significantly.
“What I’m trying to say is that you should pay your tolls,” the Mayor told the traders, noting that revenue mobilisation is directly linked to the cleanliness of the city and the welfare of sanitation workers who work daily to keep Accra clean.
He explained that the rise in commercial activity during the festive season leads to increased waste volumes, placing additional pressure on sanitation services. According to him, the Assembly relies on approved taxes and fees to pay street sweepers and sanitation personnel and to support waste collection and disposal.
The Mayor also called on traders to take shared responsibility for keeping Accra clean, stressing that the city’s development depends on cooperation, discipline, and consistent compliance with AMA regulations.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Director of the AMA, Mr. Douglas N. K. Annoful, who also engaged traders at various locations, announced a strengthened sanitation and operational schedule throughout the holiday period.
He warned that refuse accumulation at major commercial centres would no longer be tolerated, citing persistent waste build-ups at Rawlings Park, UTC, Railways, Kinbu, and Tudu.
Mr. Annoful explained that sanitation teams often return to these areas shortly after collection only to find larger volumes of refuse, creating unhealthy conditions that attract flies and contribute to the spread of diseases.
He reiterated that the GH¢2 daily toll supports street sweeping and sanitation services, adding that the AMA also bears the cost of transporting waste to final disposal sites.
The AMA has assured traders and residents that sanitation enforcement and revenue monitoring will be intensified throughout the Christmas season to ensure a clean and orderly city.