Tamale’s Decongestion Must Go Beyond Cosmetic Measures

When the current Mayor of Tamale initiated a one-time decongestion exercise, many citizens hoped it would mark the beginning of a sustained transformation of the Metropolis. Instead, what unfolded was a familiar story. Initial resistance, threats, insults, and agitation from sections of the populace for the new Mayor’s initiative, followed by the Mayor’s retreat. Today, the results of that retreat are glaring. Walkways have been converted into lorry stations, rubbish is once again strewn across the city, beggars have returned to the streets, many of them from neighbouring Sahelian countries, and hawkers continue to occupy unauthorized stands as though nothing had ever changed.

The situation has left the Tamale Metropolis choking, literally and figuratively. Gutters are clogged with filth, the air is filled with a pungent stench, and tricycle operators, unregistered and often reckless, flout traffic regulations, loading and offloading passengers at unapproved points. The city’s once-discussed vision of beautification, with green spaces, recreational parks, and sitting areas, has all but disappeared.

Many residents initially believed the new Mayor was coming to complete what his predecessor, Musah Superior, had boldly begun. A comprehensive decongestion and beautification of the Central Business District (CBD). Instead, the Metropolis seems to have slid backwards. The city guards, who should be enforcing order, appear weakened, under-resourced, or ineffective. Tamale today remains far from the modern, orderly, and attractive city its citizens deserve.

The Need for Sustained Action
Decongestion is not an event. It is a process. A one-day or two-day exercise only provides temporary relief before chaos returns. What Tamale needs is a well-planned, sustained programme of sanitation, traffic control, and urban order. Such a programme must be enforced with consistency and without favoritism. Street hawkers, transport operators, and businesses must all be held to the same standard of compliance, otherwise the exercise will lack credibility.

Equally important, the exercise must be backed by infrastructure. Clearly demarcated lorry stations, properly maintained refuse collection systems, and accessible markets for traders. Without alternatives, people will return to the streets, rendering any attempt at decongestion useless.

Stakeholder Involvement
Urban management cannot succeed without the involvement of the people. Traders, drivers, youth groups, opinion leaders, religious leaders, and residents must all be engaged as stakeholders. Their buy-in is essential, because enforcement alone cannot carry the vision of a clean and organized Tamale.

The Mayor must therefore initiate regular town hall meetings in all assembly areas to explain policies, listen to concerns, and build consensus. These meetings will help demystify government actions, reduce suspicion, and foster community ownership of decongestion and sanitation initiatives. When people feel part of the process, they are more likely to comply.

A Call for Leadership and Vision

Tamale’s challenges are not insurmountable. Other cities in Ghana and across Africa have faced similar problems but have made progress through a mix of strong leadership, community participation, and continuous enforcement. The current Mayor has the opportunity to learn from those examples and build on the groundwork laid by his predecessors.

Tamale can become a cleaner, more beautiful, and more livable city, but only if leadership matches rhetoric with sustained action. The time has come for the Mayor to reorganize the city guard department, roll out a lasting decongestion and sanitation plan, and rally the populace around a shared vision. Anything less would amount to window-dressing.

Tamale deserves better. Its people deserve better. The future of the metropolis depends on bold and sustained action, not cosmetic measures.

FUSEINI ABDULAI BRAIMAH
+233550558008 / +233208282575
afusb55@gmail.com

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