Tension Brews At Circle as Eviction Looms

There is bubbling Tension at Kwame Nkrumah interchange popularly known as Circle as a result of a purported court order by an Accra high court to evict traders on one side of the area. According to sources, the owner of the site formerly called Freedom and Justice park during W O 11 Salifu Amankwaa’s time, stretching from Ebony Restaurant to the VIP station has been sold to him.

It’s believed that that portion of land was sold as far back as 2019 when he informed the traders of his intention to redevelop the land into a horticultural ground but sources indicate he wants to sack the current occupants only to do re-allocation for a higher price. The owner who is an Indian is reported to have contracted some Nima/Maamobi hoodlums to forcibly eject the traders by force of arms.

Indeed, the gangsters brought dangerous implements like guns, cudgels, spears, bow and arrows, machetes, clubs, etc to chase out the traders in the area. According to some of the traders who spoke to this reporter, they have been there for a long time and spent money to develop the place into a mini market that contains a variety of traders who sell various goods.

They claimed to have obtained permission from the city authorities and they pay all levies and income tax. “As it is, having obtained the court order the owner is legally strengthened to take charge of the place but, he coming there with thugs wielding these dangerous implements to drive us away in that awkward stance is a bit worrisome”.

According to the leader of the traders, one Opoku, when the interchange was being constructed, they were asked by the assembly to move back to the current place to pave way for the construction to proceed smoothly. “As a result of this arrangement, we moved from behind the pavement and have since been there until last year when we heard about this issue. The thugs wore masks holding gallons of petrol with the intention of burning down the place in an ungodly hour of 1 pm, but some of us who sleep there saw it and reported the incident to the Nima Police “. The leader intimated that they are appealing to the authorities to step in to diffuse the tension and anger arising out of this diabolical scheme.

Source: kessbenonline.com/ By Nana Poku/johnawuniktv@gmail.com