AMA cracks down on ‘Lucifer Village’ as part of citywide decongestion drive

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has uncovered a disturbing settlement near Circle, known locally as Lucifer Village, during its intensified decongestion exercise.

The hidden enclave, tucked behind Las Palmas, is made up of makeshift brothels, pubs, and chop bars — all illegally erected on top of a major drainage gutter.

Led by Environmental Health Officer Joseph Asitanga, the AMA’s task force described the site as a ticking health and safety time bomb. “These are unauthorized structures sitting directly on a major drain.

What’s happening here is completely unregulated and dangerous,” he told journalists during a guided tour.

AMA’s preliminary checks indicate that many of the occupants running businesses in the area are foreign nationals, mostly Nigerians and Togolese, with many believed to lack the necessary documentation to operate in Ghana. Authorities also flagged the location as a breeding ground for criminal and immoral activities.

The AMA has since issued a stern warning — the illegal structures at Lucifer Village will be demolished in the coming days. The move is part of a broader campaign to reclaim public spaces, improve sanitation, and restore order across the capital.

AMA’s citywide decongestion effort

This operation is one of many under the AMA’s ongoing citywide decongestion drive, launched to rid Accra of unregulated trading spaces, illegal settlements, and activities that compromise health, safety, and urban development. The initiative includes the removal of street vendors from pedestrian walkways, demolition of unauthorized kiosks, and clearing of structures obstructing major drainage systems.

With the rainy season fast approaching, the AMA says it is more urgent than ever to remove such structures to prevent flooding and health crises.

“The goal is simple,” Asitanga emphasized. “We are committed to making Accra cleaner, safer, and more liveable for everyone. There will be no compromise.”