Some of the demolished structures
Some traders, who were affected by an unannounced demolition exercise on Monday morning at Circle Suhum-Nsawam lorry station, have called for compensation over the loss of their property.
Speaking to CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE the traders, who described the exercise as unlawful, said authorities of Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) asked them to properly arrange their structures to facilitate the expansion of the road, but ended up destroying their property.
“Before the commencement of the exercise, we were informed by our leaders to move backwards to allow more space for the expansion of the road. However we were surprised to come around on Monday morning to see our structures razed down.”
The traders said most of the structures that were pulled down were located around the Circle Suhum Nsawam main station.
The affected traders described the AMA Boss, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije as hardhearted and visionless.
However, a section of the traders, who lauded the exercise, said it was aimed at expanding the road to ensure free movement of the vehicles but quickly condemned circumstances under which the exercise was carried out.
They could not fathom why the AMA authorities failed to adequately inform the leaders about the exercise which started around 5.00 am.
“We want government to address our concerns because we always pay taxes and were never told by AMA to leave this place so what is the essence of the demolishing exercise and the destruction of our wares,” they said.
“Government should understand that most of these demolishing exercises have adverse effect on the livelihood of the victims and inappropriate as they are mostly carried out with hatred.”
When the paper contacted AMA, the Public Relations Officer of the AMA, Numo Blafo III, explained that the Assembly did not sanction the exercise.
 By Stella Danso Addai
Â
