Traders at the Neoplan Station, near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, have resumed their businesses just a day after shops at the station were destroyed by the Department of Urban Roads.
Several structures at the station and around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle were demolished on Sunday to pave way for the construction of a three-tier interchange, which, when completed, will transform the Circle into a pedestrian and motorist-friendly zone that will save Ghana about US$25million annually, according to experts.
[contextly_sidebar id=”wFfmmixVUhJQoDDXMnhiRz30hmFpKkNm”]Citi News checks revealed some of the traders had returned and were selling in the midst of the rubble.
Some however insisted they have not returned to the station to sell, but rather expressed their displeasure at the Department of Urban Roads for issuing a short notice prior to the demolition exercise.
“They had to wait, give us time, about six months to clear out of the station. They didn’t do that. They just brought the bulldozers. I was in church when I was called. It is not good,” lamented a trader who spoke to Citi News.
Other traders were unhappy because they claim they do not have anywhere else to go and should have been compensated or given enough time to find other places to move their shops to before the demolition.
The Department of Urban Roads has however denied the claims by the shop-owners, insisting that they had compensated the traders and had given them prior notice of the demolition, way before the scheduled time.
A representative of the Department told Citi News : “They were given notice from the Urban Roads office two weeks ago, it is impossible how can this thing happen without compensating them.”
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana