Business News of 2026-09-02
Nungua Market shop owners oppose demolition for 24-hour market project
Shop owners at the Nungua Market have opposed plans to demolish their shops to pave the way for the construction of a proposed 24-hour market.
The Nungua Market Shop Owners Association, which has about 250 members, says the proposed demolition would destroy their investments and deprive hundreds of traders and their families of their main source of livelihood.
According to the shop owners, many of the shops were privately acquired and financed by individuals who purchased land and invested in constructing the facilities.
Lina Owusu, a member of the association, said the shops should not be demolished because they represent significant private investments.
“They shouldn’t demolish the shops but rather renovate the place. The shops do not belong to the government; they belong to individuals who bought the land and built the place. We cannot allow our investment to go to waste.”
Daavi Adwo, Financial Secretary of the Nungua Market Shop Owners Association, also appealed to the authorities to consider renovation instead of demolition.
She said many shop owners had taken loans to finance their businesses and would struggle to meet their financial obligations if the market were demolished and their businesses disrupted.
“We have taken loans to work, so we plead with them that it is better for them to renovate the place than demolish it. We are not doing any work aside from this, and we are not on any form of pension. We bought the place, and that is what we are using to feed our families.”
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The association has outlined eight key reasons for opposing the proposed demolition.
First, the shop owners say the shops represent long-term private investments. According to the association, some members purchased their shops, while others contributed financially towards the construction of the market. They argue that demolition would result in substantial financial losses.
Second, the association says the proposed construction period of approximately two years or more would deprive members of their principal source of income. It noted that the majority of its members are women, including breadwinners and single mothers who support children and other dependants.
The third concern relates to existing bank loans and other financial obligations. The association says many members have loans and financial commitments linked to their businesses, which could become difficult to service if their shops remain closed for an extended period.
The shop owners also cited the additional cost of securing temporary shops and storage facilities during construction. They argue that finding alternative spaces would impose a significant financial burden on traders whose incomes would already have been disrupted.
The association further complained that there is no adequate relocation plan specifically for existing shop owners. According to the group, proposed arrangements appear to focus mainly on tabletop traders, with no clear and secure alternative for existing shop owners and their businesses.
The shop owners also argue that the existing market remains functional and is not structurally dilapidated to the extent that complete demolition is the only reasonable option.
Another concern raised by the association is the payment of annual ground rent. The shop owners say that since the Nungua traditional authorities assumed management of the market in 2021, they have continued to pay annual ground rent, despite what they describe as little or no significant maintenance.
They therefore argue that shop owners should not be made to bear the consequences of what they consider years of inadequate maintenance.
Finally, the association says the protection of livelihoods must form part of any development plan.
It argues that while the proposed 24-hour market is intended to create jobs and promote economic activity, the development should not result in the destruction of the existing livelihoods of hundreds of traders and their families for an extended period.
However, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Krowor Municipal Assembly, Ing Paul Afotey Quaye, said the assembly had engaged several stakeholders on the issue.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement with the market women on September 1, 2026, Ing Afotey Quaye said the assembly had engaged the relevant stakeholders, including the traditional authorities.
He explained that the concerns raised by the market women had been taken into consideration and that efforts were being made to find a solution and address the issues in the coming days.
The engagement forms part of ongoing discussions over the proposed redevelopment of the Nungua Market into a 24-hour market.
The Nungua Market Shop Owners Association has consequently called on the authorities to cancel the proposed demolition of their shops.
The association wants the authorities to consider renovating the existing market while protecting the investments and livelihoods of the shop owners.
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