Traders at Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) area in the Central Business District are up in arms over an alleged attempt by the Paramount Chief of the Akyem Wenchi Traditional Area, Dasebre Nyako Asumadu Appiah, to claim ownership of the land they have occupied for decades.
The anger of the traders stem from the fact that some men purporting to be surveyors recently appeared at the market, claiming they had been sent by the chief to take measurements of the land.
Speaking at a press conference, the spokesperson for the traders, Madam Diana Nyonkopa Daniels contended that they have occupied the land for decades and should have the first right of purchase if the land is for sale.
She said they are suspicious about the supposed sale when there are claims that the suspected chief is getting the land which is owned by the Ghana Railways Authority in exchange for financial assistance to pay workers’ salaries.
She said they have occupied the land for decades before celebrated businessman, Kwame Osei Despite, started doing business at Katamanto and it cannot be true that the Railway Authority gave the land to a chief only in 2018.
Madam Nyonkopa Daniels who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Peace Watch Ghana, dismissed this explanation as fraudulent, pointing out inconsistencies in the timeline.
“We have been here since the early 1990s, yet the chief claims the Railway Authority gave him the land in 2018. This is a clear case of deception,” she stated.
Madam Daniels, further highlighted the economic impact of the alleged takeover attempt, noting that a single shop in the area costs around GH₵500,000 (5 billion old Ghana cedis).
She questioned how struggling traders, many of whom are widows and single mothers, could afford such exorbitant amounts if they were forced out.
She also alleged that the chief had threatened to deploy military personnel to take over the land. In response, the traders have sought protection from the Greater Accra Regional Police Command. “ DCOP Arhin, has assured us that the police will step in to prevent any harassment,” she said.
The traders, through Madam Daniels, have vowed to resist any eviction attempt, insisting the land belongs to the state.
They have called on Ga Mantse and other traditional authorities to prevent any unauthorized claims over government land.
Appealing for intervention, the traders urged former President John DramaniMahama, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Vice President, the Inspector General of Police, and MP Dr.ZanetorAgyeman-Rawlings to act swiftly to protect their livelihoods.
They also blamed the previous NPP government for allegedly selling off state lands, including those belonging to Ghana Railways.
“The spokesperson claimed the land was given to the chief when Hon. Joe Ghartey was Minister for Railways. If an entire government couldn’t pay workers’ salaries without selling land to an individual, what kind of governance is that?” Madam Daniels questioned.
She also recalled that the Railways Authority, had previously assured them that the government planned to build an ultra-modern market on the land, prioritizing the traders for allocation.
The traders remain resolute in their stance, warning the Akyem Wenchi chief, not to step foot on the land.
They also urged President Mahama to fulfill his pledge to reclaim all state lands, including CMB, and vowed to petition relevant institutions, including Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), to support their cause.