Hundreds of residents of Mankrong Nkwanta in the Agona East District of the Central Region have been displaced following an ongoing demolition exercise to make way for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Market.
The exercise, being carried out by government authorities, has already seen several homes pulled down, leaving many families without shelter. The development comes despite earlier appeals by community leaders for an alternative site to be provided for the project.
Officials at the Agona East District Assembly maintain that the land in question historically served as a market space dating back to the pre-colonial era, justifying the redevelopment effort.
However, affected residents say they were neither adequately informed nor compensated before the demolitions began. Many claim they were issued property valuation forms by the assemblyman for the Mankrong Junction Electoral Area, Abraham Inkoom, only for the District Chief Executive to later describe those documents as unofficial.
Among those hardest hit is 66-year-old Comfort Quansah, a bedridden resident who has now been rendered homeless.
“They told us we were occupying government land and should vacate,” she recounted. “The assemblyman said he would rent a place for me, but I was asked to pay for it myself, which I could not afford.”
Following the demolition of her home, Madam Quansah has been forced to seek refuge in a temporary structure provided by a relative, which lacks basic amenities.
“I had to bathe in the open and crawl back into the room. There is no bathroom or toilet, and we have not received any help or compensation from the government,” she added.
Other affected property owners have accused the assemblyman of misleading them and failing to provide clear communication regarding compensation and relocation plans.
“I built this house with everything I had,” one resident lamented. “We were given forms to fill for valuation, but now the assembly says they are not valid. We don’t know who to trust.”
The residents are calling on the central government to urgently intervene, provide compensation, and offer alternative accommodation for those displaced.
Meanwhile, the demolition exercise is expected to continue as part of the government’s broader plan to establish a 24-hour economy aimed at boosting local commerce and economic activity in the area.
