A joint military-police taskforce has conducted a forceful eviction of onion sellers at Kwadaso, relocating them to a new location within the municipality to conduct their business activities. This move came after the traders resisted multiple directives from the Ashanti Regional Security Council (RESEC) to move to the new designated area.
Despite numerous notices served by the Ashanti RESEC urging the traders to relocate, citing security risks to motorists, pedestrians, and traders, as well as heavy vehicular traffic during peak hours, the traders remained defiant. Under the supervision of the joint taskforce, the entire market structure, accommodating over 2000 traders, was dismantled.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), some of the traders expressed concerns about the adequacy of the new marketplace to accommodate all of them. Yakubu Sani, a trader, confirmed receiving eviction notices but cited the inadequacy of the new location as a reason for their reluctance to move. He voiced concerns that the new place would soon face similar congestion issues due to limited space.
Madam Yaa Brago, another trader, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the cramped space at the new location and predicting potential traffic congestion similar to what the Regional Security Council had complained about.
While some onion traders have agreed to relocate to the new marketplace to secure their trading spots, others remain adamant, opting to continue trading along the shoulders of the road. The situation underscores ongoing tensions between authorities and traders regarding the relocation and highlights the challenges associated with finding suitable spaces for informal trading activities.
