It’s been six days since the Kwadaso onion market was razed to the ground by the Ashanti Regional Security Council for redevelopment.
The traders were relocated to a market at Atwima Takyiman. But affected traders have refused to occupy their new trading place.
They complained there were no engagements and feared facing another eviction at the relocated market in the near future.
At a media briefing, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, reacted to concerns raised by the traders.
“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 by before April 22, 2024”.
Asked whether the new market at Takyiman is a permanent place for the traders, Mr Osei-Mensah stated “the level of development will indicate whether their continuous existence at where they’ve been relocated is needed or not”.
Though the demolished area has been cordoned to prevent traders from accessing the area, some of them have found their way there doing brisk business whilst awaiting what their leadership will direct them to do.
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Unhappy with the statement of the Regional Minister, the leadership of the traders said they’ve resolved to look for a suitable space and buy it for their trading activities to avoid future eviction.
“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”, Mohammed Muniru Ismail, an onion trader, noted.