The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has decongested shops operating within the Community One El Paso Lorry station as part of a broader initiative to modernise the transport hub and improve the city’s outlook.
The exercise resulted in the removal of several wooden and metal structures that had been erected along walkways and vehicle access routes at the busy lorry station.
Mr Alfred Ocansey, aide to Ms Ebi Bright, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the decongestion formed part of a planned facelift of the metropolis and the construction of a multi-purpose lorry station to enhance safety, order, and commuter comfort, adding that the traders affected by the exercise had been adequately informed ahead of time.
Mr Ocansey stated that a well-structured and decongested system would be implemented to ensure that a greater number of people could conduct business in an orderly and efficient manner.
“The traders were notified of the intended redevelopment last year. A stakeholders’ engagement was held with them on January 06, 2025, and further reminders were issued on the eve of January 07,” he stated.
Despite these assurances, several traders expressed dissatisfaction with the exercise, arguing that the process failed to address their economic survival.
They added that the notice was very short as no alternative place was provided for them to continue their businesses, adding that the sudden loss of their trading space would have serious financial consequences.
The traders appealed to the TMA to consider their plight and provide designated areas where they could continue operating while redevelopment works would be ongoing.
Some residents, however, commended the MCE for the initiative, describing it as a necessary step toward restoring order in Tema.
They recalled that the city was once regarded as one of the most beautiful and well-organised; however, years of unchecked development and the proliferation of unauthorised structures had undermined its planning.
GNA
