A demolition exercise carried out by the Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly has left more than 50 shop owners in Awoshie Been-To, situated along the N1 highway, counting their losses.
The assembly justified the move, citing the illegal construction of the shops under high-tension cables as a safety risk that could lead to potential accidents.
However, the affected shop owners are up in arms, expressing their discontent to Citi News in Accra on Friday. They accused the assembly of not providing adequate notice before carrying out the demolition, leaving them with significant losses and uncertainties about their livelihoods.
One shop owner told Citi News, ” Regrettably, there’s nothing to do to rectify the situation at present. My belongings have been destroyed, as I was unable to retrieve them from the shop before the demolition commenced at dawn.”
“We’ve consistently made payments to the chiefs for the land, so the sudden turn of events is confusing.”
Another indicated that “I sell canopies here so my worker called me that the demolition was ongoing around 2 am and we came too it was true. I have my shop here and that is what I use in catering for the family. They did not give us any reason. They did not even greet us. They only came in and started demolition…They are only giving us pressure so something must be done about it.”
“…I will still be here. I won’t go anywhere. The next time you come, you will meet me here.”
Source: CitiNews
