The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has arrested a 46-year-old coconut trader, Emmanuel Awotwi, for allegedly converting a designated pedestrian walkway into an unauthorized trading and storage space in Accra.
According to the Assembly, the arrest followed an operation by an AMA task force, which found the trader occupying a significant section of a bus stop along Professor John Evans Atta Mills High Street near the Arts Centre.
Officials alleged that more than 500 coconuts had been stored on the walkway for commercial purposes, obstructing pedestrians and violating the AMA Control of Hawkers By-law, 2017 (Sub-section d).
The Assembly said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to decongest major roads, improve pedestrian safety and enforce city regulations against unauthorized trading on public walkways.
Authorities reiterated that public spaces such as sidewalks and bus stops are reserved for pedestrians and commuters, warning that individuals who flout the by-laws risk arrest and prosecution.
The incident has sparked discussion on social media, with some users supporting stricter enforcement to keep walkways clear, while others have called for improved market spaces and alternative trading locations for street vendors.
