AMA demolish structures at Danqua Circle
Traders at Danquah Circle in Accra arrived at work on Tuesday morning to find their structures and wares demolished.
When a team of Graphic reporters arrived at the scene, what was known to be a vibrant shopping corner for some tourist in Osu was reduced to a pile of rubble.
Traders were seen retrieving any of their remaining goods from the debris. Chairs, tables, plates, kiosk and plastic wares were broken and scattered all over the place.
A container that served as a Coca-Cola vending joint was over-turned and pushed into a nearby drain.
Narrating events before the demolition to the Daily Graphic, an electrical accessories dealer, Mr Joseph Manu, said a team of about 50 police Officers arrived at 4:00 am and ordered him and others out of their shops.
“We were asked to collect our things from the shops. 5 minutes later, a bulldozer appeared and started destroying everything adding that their pleas to remove all their goods fell on death ears.
Gifty Nartey, another victim of the destruction told the Daily Graphic, she was devasted when she saw the meager remains of her food of her food store.
She said she was, however, able to retrieve some bowls and plates but her glass food cabinet and table were smashed beyond repairs.
She lamented that the unfortunate event would have a telling effect on her family as her husband, a crippled tailor, relied heavily on her income to support their six children.
Numerous allegations were made about who was responsible for the ruin. While one section of the traders pointed accusing fingers at the Management of the Koala Supermarket and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly; others alleged that it was a man who claimed to be the son of J.B Danquah who had a court order for the land to be cleared.
The Head of the AMA Task Force, Mr Joseph A. Okine, who arrived at the scene in the afternoon, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the AMA had no involvement in the damage even though it had earmarked the place for de-congestion.
When the management of the Koala Supermarket was contacted, it denied having anything to do with the demolition.
Attempts to get information on the involvement of the police proved futile. The Public Relations units of the national headquarters and the Greater-Accra headquarters of the police service denied knowledge of the exercise.
Meanwhile effort to reach the person alleged to have ordered the demolition did not yield any fruit.
When a team of Graphic reporters arrived at the scene, what was known to be a vibrant shopping corner for some tourist in Osu was reduced to a pile of rubble.
Traders were seen retrieving any of their remaining goods from the debris. Chairs, tables, plates, kiosk and plastic wares were broken and scattered all over the place.
A container that served as a Coca-Cola vending joint was over-turned and pushed into a nearby drain.
Narrating events before the demolition to the Daily Graphic, an electrical accessories dealer, Mr Joseph Manu, said a team of about 50 police Officers arrived at 4:00 am and ordered him and others out of their shops.
“We were asked to collect our things from the shops. 5 minutes later, a bulldozer appeared and started destroying everything adding that their pleas to remove all their goods fell on death ears.
Gifty Nartey, another victim of the destruction told the Daily Graphic, she was devasted when she saw the meager remains of her food of her food store.
She said she was, however, able to retrieve some bowls and plates but her glass food cabinet and table were smashed beyond repairs.
She lamented that the unfortunate event would have a telling effect on her family as her husband, a crippled tailor, relied heavily on her income to support their six children.
Numerous allegations were made about who was responsible for the ruin. While one section of the traders pointed accusing fingers at the Management of the Koala Supermarket and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly; others alleged that it was a man who claimed to be the son of J.B Danquah who had a court order for the land to be cleared.
The Head of the AMA Task Force, Mr Joseph A. Okine, who arrived at the scene in the afternoon, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the AMA had no involvement in the damage even though it had earmarked the place for de-congestion.
When the management of the Koala Supermarket was contacted, it denied having anything to do with the demolition.
Attempts to get information on the involvement of the police proved futile. The Public Relations units of the national headquarters and the Greater-Accra headquarters of the police service denied knowledge of the exercise.
Meanwhile effort to reach the person alleged to have ordered the demolition did not yield any fruit.
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