Petty traders working at Kasoa Old Market have asked the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, to step in and immediately halt the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly from evicting them from their current workplace.
The traders, dressed in black and red, marched to the ministry seeking the minister’s help to prevent the upcoming demolition at Kasoa Old Market, which they view as their lifeline.
The men and women who approached the ministry for assistance were in tears, pleading with the minister to stop the assembly from taking away their means of livelihood.
The traders expressed that the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly intends to demolish their temporary structures at Kasoa Old Market to make way for new market stores under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement.
We, the traders, oppose the construction of permanent stores on this unsuitable land. We have realized that the Assembly’s efforts, led by Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Mr. Seth Banini, to evict traders could result in significant job losses for around 800 traders in Kasoa.
The traders firmly oppose the redevelopment plan, pointing out the high cost of GH¢100,000 needed to secure a store after it is built, along with concerns about being displaced.
“This situation led us to organize a large peaceful protest on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, against the proposed market redevelopment project, which threatens the livelihoods of about 800 petty traders.”
Such opposition often arises from PPP agreements where newly built market facilities come with much higher costs, either through rent or purchase fees, compared to the previous makeshift or older buildings.
The secretary of the Kasoa Old Market Traders Association, Mr. Appiah Roger, presented their petition, stating that the land in question, situated at the Kasoa Old Market near the Kasoa Interchange, is legally owned by the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) and is designated for road construction and expansion by the Authority.
To clarify, documentary evidence shows that the GHA permits only temporary structures to be built on this land.
The Ghana Highway Authority, created under Act 540, oversees trunk roads and typically limits construction within designated road rights-of-way to temporary structures only.
According to the Authority’s policy on temporary structures, any building near a highway must be temporary—like kiosks or containers—to facilitate future road expansion or safety upgrades.
He mentioned that the traders were surprised that the MCE, Mr. Seth Banini, who knows this law and has access to the relevant agreement documents, is backing the construction of permanent market structures on the land.
“We want to inform your esteemed office that the Assembly’s plan to demolish our structures and containers infringes on our rights, as this decision was made without adequate notice or legal grounds.”
Additionally, the redevelopment project under the PPP arrangement could significantly threaten essential utility infrastructure in Kasoa and nearby areas like Mallam Junction in Accra.
Mr. Appiah noted that the construction could disrupt pipelines owned by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and electricity cables belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), potentially impacting water and power supply in the region.
The makeshift structures currently in place were built directly over GWCL pipelines and ECG cables. Allowing new permanent buildings on the same land could disrupt water infrastructure and lead to unauthorized connections in Kasoa and nearby areas.
This situation could impact the regular water supply for residents, so we urge the government to step in and stop the project.
At present, around 800 traders work under the temporary sheds that the Assembly plans to demolish. However, the Assembly intends to build only about 120 new stores under the PPP agreement, which will likely result in significant job losses.
It is clear that if 800 traders are currently operating and only 120 stores are constructed, many will lose their means of income. The MCE’s proposed action is likely to cause a serious job loss crisis in the region.
Madam Minister, we also want to inform your respected office that the MCE is pushing this redevelopment project for personal gain. We are concerned that this project could be a way to collect money without providing real benefits to the traders.
Information we have indicates that after the project is completed, the MCE and some influential people in the area may take ownership of some of the stores.
We believe the MCE is not advocating for this project for the benefit of the current traders or residents of Kasoa, but rather to benefit a select few influential individuals.
We also want to clearly state that when the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government built the existing sheds, an agreement was made for the traders to contribute financially to the project.
Under that agreement, the traders funded the sheds, which were then built by a contractor through the government to serve as their business locations.
The agreement permitted traders to use the sheds for 30 years before they would be returned to the government.
However, traders have only used the sheds for five years, leaving 25 years remaining in the agreement.
“We have provided documentary proof of this agreement to the current MCE, but he has declined to reconsider his choice to move forward with the redevelopment project.”
During a meeting, the MCE even told the traders that he might tear down the structures without any prior notice.
He allegedly informed the traders that if they were unhappy with his actions, they could take legal steps against him.
In light of the detailed explanation above, we respectfully appeal to the Honourable Minister for Trade and Agribusiness, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, to instruct the MCE of the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly, Mr. Seth Banini, to rethink this decision, as the GH¢100,000 fee being charged for each shop after completion is far too high for small traders to manage.
The land available is also very limited, not even reaching 12 feet, which raises questions about whether the project genuinely benefits the traders or mainly serves the Assembly’s interests.
Currently, more than 800 traders are working under the sheds, yet the Assembly plans to build only 120 stores, which is significantly fewer than the number of people currently trading at the location.
We rely on your cooperation and kindly ask for your immediate intervention to stop the Assembly from moving forward with this plan.
Receiving the petition on behalf of the minister, the Director responsible for Industry, Mr. Kofi Addo, assured them that the minister would act quickly on their requests.