Traders refuse to occupy new market after Kwadaso onion market demolition

Ghanaian

It has been some days since the Kwadaso onion market was demolished by the Ashanti Regional Security Council for redevelopment.

The affected traders were relocated to a market at Atwima Takyiman, but they have refused to occupy their new trading place, citing lack of engagement and fear of future evictions.

At a media briefing, according to a 3News

Read full articlereport, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, addressed the concerns raised by the traders, stating, "We’ve engaged them for more than one year. We came out with a press release for them to relocate 6 months ago but some chiefs delayed the process. That is why on the 2nd of April the Regional Security Council decided to release a final notice that they should relocate before April 22, 2024."

When asked about the permanency of the new market at Takyiman, Mr. Osei-Mensah responded, "The level of development will indicate whether their continuous existence at where they’ve been relocated is needed or not."

Despite the cordoning off of the demolished area to prevent traders from accessing it, some traders have managed to return and conduct business there while awaiting further directives from their leadership.

In response to the Regional Minister's statements, the traders' leadership expressed dissatisfaction and announced their decision to seek a suitable space and purchase it for their trading activities to avoid future evictions.

Mohammed Muniru Ismail, an onion trader, stated, "If he [the minister] cannot assure us of our permanent stay there, then they will just be relocating us as and when they wish so we are not going to the new market.

We will find a place, buy it, and build our market there. We will pay tax as expected of us, but we will secure our place so that nobody will come and say they’re relocating us again."