Former MP Predicts AMA Decongestion Exercise Will Only Last Seven Months

 

Former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central Ebenezer Gilbert Nii Narh Nartey has expressed skepticism about the sustainability of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s (AMA) ongoing decongestion exercise predicting it will last no longer than seven months.

Speaking during an interview on Joy Prime monitored by mrwoode.com Mr. Nartey stated that political interference will hinder the project’s long-term success. He confidently claimed that the initiative which began on Monday, May 19, will come to an end by December 31, 2025.

This project that the AMA Mayor as well as Chief Executive for Korle Klottey have decided to do will only last for seven months. It will end on the 31st of December, 2025. If it goes beyond that I’ll give them a thumbs up, but I know it will not go beyond that because the political woes will not permit them to do what they want to do, he told host KMJ.

Mr. Nartey explained that the highly politicized environment in Ghana makes it difficult for such initiatives to succeed, as every decision is often seen through a political lens. According to him, both the ruling government and the opposition treat every year as if it were an election year, making it hard to implement firm and unbiased policies.

We’re living in a country where everything we do is politics. In fact every year is an election year whether you’re in government or opposition. So you don’t have the political will to deal with issues as you want to, he added.

The decongestion exercise, led by AMA Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey, aims to restore order in the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra. As part of the initiative the AMA has reintroduced the Red Line concept, which marks no-go zones for traders in an effort to prevent trading activities from spilling onto streets and obstructing the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

The exercise is intended to enhance sanitation, improve traffic flow, and create a safer environment for both traders and shoppers. However, past decongestion efforts in Accra have often been short-lived due to resistance from traders and inconsistent enforcement.

Mr. Nartey’s remarks have sparked conversations about the need for non-partisan commitment to urban planning and law enforcement if Accra is to achieve its long-term development goals.