Trotro Live

AN OPEN NOTE TO ALL RELEVANT AUTHORITIES IN GHANA RE: UNCONTROLLED HAWKER ENCROACHMENT ON THE TROTRO LANE AT LAPAZ – AN URGENT ROAD SAFETY CONCERN To the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ministry of the Interior, Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Ghana Police Service, Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), National Road Safety Authority and all relevant authorities: For years, hawkers at Lapaz have continued to occupy an increasingly large portion of the trotro lane, gradually turning a designated traffic space into a trading area. Successive governments have come and gone, yet this situation remains largely unaddressed. The question is simple: How long will law enforcement look on while a serious road safety concern continues to develop? Must we wait for an avoidable accident, injuries or loss of lives before decisive action is taken? The encroachment obstructs traffic, creates unnecessary congestion and exposes drivers, passengers, pedestrians and the hawkers themselves to danger. As Ghana approaches its 70th Independence Anniversary in March 2027, it is time to demonstrate that discipline, respect for public spaces and enforcement of our laws are not merely things we talk about but values we practise. We therefore call on the relevant authorities to: Immediately address the encroachment on the trotro lane at Lapaz. Activate and sustain law enforcement to restore the road to its intended purpose. Ensure that hawkers are directed to appropriate designated trading spaces. Introduce regular monitoring to prevent a recurrence of this situation. This is not a campaign against people’s livelihoods. It is a call for responsible urban management, public safety and respect for the rights of all road users. Ghana’s 70 years of independence should be an opportunity to restore discipline and order, not continue to normalise lawlessness in our public spaces. Let us act before tragedy strikes. Lapaz deserves better, and road safety must not be negotiable. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!