Just hours after the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) conducted a decongestion exercise at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange Neoplan Bus Stop, squatters have returned, triggering a renewed response from city officials. For months, the AMA has been engaged in a campaign to reclaim public spaces throughout Accra, including evicting unauthorized vendors and squatters. The Neoplan Bus Stop, a crucial transit point for commuters, had been cleared, but this proved to be only a temporary reprieve. The persistent return of Neoplan Bus Stop squatters poses a significant challenge to the city’s authorities.

The AMA is facing considerable difficulties in maintaining order at the Neoplan Bus Stop. Despite initial efforts to clear the area, the squatters’ swift return indicates a need for stricter and more sustained enforcement measures to ensure the bus stop serves its intended purpose.

The situation underscores the complexities of urban management in Accra, where the needs of informal traders and residents sometimes clash with public order regulations. The AMA’s ongoing struggle highlights the necessity for comprehensive strategies that address both the immediate problem and the underlying socio-economic factors.

Less than 24 hours after the initial decongestion exercise, the Neoplan Bus Stop was once again occupied by squatters and hawkers. This rapid return demonstrated a clear defiance of city authorities and their efforts to maintain order. Upon receiving reports of the renewed encroachment, the AMA swiftly revisited the location.

“As part of the decongestion exercise, wherever we move to, we follow up to see whether whatever we did the previous day has been complied with. It is a by-law enforcement; bus stops are not meant for activity. It is meant for only passengers to transit and it is difficult getting people out here,”

The team took immediate action to clean and tidy up the area, removing newly erected structures and scattered merchandise. The exercise underscores the persistent nature of the problem and the immediate setbacks faced by the AMA.

“So as we enforced the laws yesterday, this morning we got a wind of that; they are back again, so we had to come. When we got here, they had resurfaced with different developments with their items, so we had to come again, clean and tidy up the place,”

The AMA’s renewed efforts highlight the considerable resources and manpower required to combat the persistent encroachment on public spaces.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly is adamant that the Neoplan Bus Stop is intended solely for public transport, not for trading or squatting. Maintaining clear roads and pavements is a priority for the assembly, ensuring smooth traffic flow and pedestrian safety. The AMA views the bus stop as a vital piece of public infrastructure.

“Our aim and agenda is to ensure that the bus stop is free. The roads and the pavements are free. This is not the market that we do marking; this is a bus stop erected by the assembly. Our concern is that the bus stop should be free,”

To prevent future encroachment, the AMA, in collaboration with the National Security Coordinator, has decided to deploy three permanent security guards to the Neoplan Bus Stop. This measure is designed to ensure continuous enforcement of the assembly’s regulations and prevent the return of squatters. The guards will maintain a constant presence.

“The director has mandated through the National Security Coordinator to put three permanent security officers here to ensure daily routine enforcement. We are going to ensure that this place is as clean as it is now. Nobody will sell here; this is a bus stop. We are not demolishing anything here, but we are clearing the bus stop free of trading,”

This proactive approach signals a significant escalation in the AMA’s efforts to maintain order at the bus stop.

The return of squatters to the Neoplan Bus Stop following the AMA’s decongestion exercise has prompted a robust response from city authorities. The deployment of permanent security guards signals a commitment to maintaining order and ensuring the bus stop serves its intended purpose as a transit point for commuters. The ongoing efforts to manage public spaces reflect the broader challenges of balancing public order and the needs of informal traders in Accra, a task that requires both enforcement and long-term strategic planning.