Traders seek Court injunction against demolition exercise

Members of the Dormaa-Ahenkro Market Association have sought an injunction at the High Court in Sunyani to restrain the Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly from relocating them to pave way for a planned demolition exercise.

The Assembly has planned to relocate the traders, now trading at the “Daily Market,” to a yet to be completed market site in the town to enable it to demolish over 40 stores at the old place.

The Assembly had set September 26 and 28, 2015, to undertake the exercise but the Association objected to their decision.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Kwame Twumasi-Awuah, a Sunyani-based Lawyer and the Solicitor for the Association and issued by Mr. Oduro Tabiri, Secretary of the Association to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The statement said members of the Association operated their businesses in front of the Dormaa-Ahenkro Central Market, comprising 48 stores, 24 of which were constructed from their own resources whiles the Assembly built the other 24.

The occupants of the 48 stores accordingly pay daily tolls, rates and rents to the Assembly.

The statement argued that the stores being occupied by the traders were not in a dilapidated state as claimed by the defendant (the Assembly), and that, the shops were safe for business.

It said as at now, no contractor had been engaged for the construction of the proposed market, implying that the Assembly was not ready to implement the project at the designated site.

Commenting on the matter, Mr. Francis Boateng, the Municipal Planning Officer, said the construction of the new market complex has become necessary due to the structural defects on the stores.

Mr. Boateng said the demolition and construction of the new market, in the central business area was also part of the Assembly’s plans to give the town a face lift to befit it’s growing status, apart from creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He said members of the Assembly had already given approval for the commencement of the project, adding that, advertisements to that effect had been placed in the media to invite prospective contractors to purchase tender documents to bid for it.