Several shops at the Kasoa New Market, primarily corn and cassava mills, were demolished on Saturday, May 23, by the Municipal Assembly to make way for the construction of a proposed 24-Hour Economy Market.
Affected traders have expressed deep concern, stating that the demolition was carried out despite the existence of an active Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Assembly. They claim they received no clear resolution regarding their investments or alternative arrangements.
While the traders say they are not against the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative, they are unhappy about what they describe as a lack of proper consultation and consideration for their livelihoods.
“My father has spent all the money he got from his pension to invest in this corn mill. And now it is going to be demolished. As I speak, he is sick. From the day he heard that there was going to be a demolition, he hasn’t been well. How is he going to survive?” the son of one affected trader told Citi News.
The Municipal NADMO Director, Nash Nyandey, defended the exercise, explaining that it was carried out because the market appeared dormant on Saturday. He emphasised that the move is necessary to fulfil the government’s vision of establishing 24-Hour Economy Market Centres across the country.
“We have engaged every stakeholder on several occasions. The municipality has noted that any trader who will be affected should come to the assembly for further compensation. So far it is the uncompleted structures we have demolished,” he said.
In a related development, a construction worker who doubled as a security personnel was gruesomely murdered on Tuesday at the controversial Kasoa CBD redevelopment project site. The carpenter was found dead with deep machete wounds.
Authorities have remained silent on the incident even as construction work continues at the site.
The project has faced strong opposition from traders who occupied temporary shops built with revenue generated from petty traders under an active Memorandum of Understanding.
Editor:
Obiri-Yeboah
