The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has intensified its crackdown on encroachments and unauthorised developments, pulling down illegal structures and issuing a stern warning to occupants to voluntarily remove such buildings or face stricter sanctions.
On Monday morning, a task force from the AMA demolished two large makeshift sheds being used as an auto-mechanic workshop located behind the Awudome Cemetery, near the SSNIT Pension House.
The site had clear warning signs against encroachment painted on a nearby wall, yet the operators had ignored previous directives.
The enforcement exercise was carried out in line with repeated orders from the AMA, under the leadership of the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, to vacate government-reserved lands.
During the same operation, the task force confiscated a weighing scale belonging to scrap dealers who had illegally converted a portion of land in front of a Catholic Church around the Awudome Roundabout into a scrap collection point.
The team also halted ongoing renovation works on a shop after the individuals involved failed to produce the necessary building permits when challenged by the enforcement officers.
Speaking to the media after the exercise, the Coordinating Director of the AMA, Mr. Douglas N.K. Annoful, said the Assembly was determined to safeguard public lands and uphold city planning regulations.
He explained that the demolitions and interventions followed several prior warnings that had been disregarded by the affected parties.
Mr. Annoful cautioned that the AMA would continue its sustained enforcement drive and apply appropriate sanctions against anyone who persists in encroaching on government lands, blocking roadways, or erecting unauthorised structures across the metropolis.
He specifically urged all persons who have put up structures or carried out construction in unauthorised areas to remove them immediately to avoid further action from the Assembly.
The Coordinating Director also reiterated the AMA’s upcoming decongestion exercise, warning traders, hawkers, and roadside operators to vacate the streets starting from February 1, 2026.
He noted that the AMA, in collaboration with other metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies, would intensify operations to clear unauthorised activities from major roads, pavements, and public spaces in the coming days.