The Concerned Citizens Association of Mamobi Number 2 Market “Kasoakuda” has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the forced eviction of residents from the Mamobi enclave.
The Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly had earlier sent notices of eviction to them, giving them six- weeks ultimatum to vacate the site.
The Assembly is relocating them to a new site secured for that purpose on a 10-acre land located at Ayikumah in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.
The over seven thousand (7,000) residents have, however, rejected the ultimatum and demanded that the government must first extend electricity and water connection to the new site to make it habitable for residents.
According to the petitioners, the Assembly is undertaking the exercise without regard and respect for the provisions of Article 18 and 20 of the 1992 Constitution.
They therefore want the Assembly to put a human face to the forced relocation plan and compensate the tenants accordingly;
“As Petitioners and victims of the intended injustice being perpetrated against our Fundamental Human Rights, we would like to state that at no point of the ongoing Stakeholders’ negotiation engagement process that a six (6) week ultimatum decision was discussed or let alone agreed upon.
The Municipal Chief Executive (Awal Mohammed) is not above the laws of Ghana and therefore cannot bypass the ongoing stakeholders’ negotiation process and make unilateral declaration in the media when the victims’ very life of existence, Shelter, Livelihoods and security are at stake and must be adequately addressed in accordance with the relevant Constitutional provisions and a mutual agreement based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed before any date can be fixed for eviction and demolition of their properties.
The said declaration by the Municipal Chief Executive Officer is unilateral, illegal and unconstitutional and for that matter not acceptable by the Association and not binding on us, since the stakeholders’ negotiation engagement is still ongoing and no such decision has been agreed upon.
We therefore demand that the six (6) weeks ultimatum by the MCE must be withdrawn with immediate effect and declared null and void by the mediator, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for the proper thing to be done in accordance with the relevant constitutional provisions of the Republic of Ghana,” portions of the petition read.
“We further wish to state that, not until all issues pertaining to the terms and conditions surrounding the ownership, acquisition, title and other basic social amenities reminiscent of their existing status including shelter, livelihood, health, security etc. are factored into the proposed Ayikuma land site for resettlement is adequately addressed, and a Memorandum of Understanding signed between all stakeholders and the Assembly, facilitated and witnessed by the Constitutionally mandated Human Rights body, the Commission of Human Rights And Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) , we will not be bound by any unilateral decision by the MCE, Mohammed Awal.
As citizens of Ghana, we deserve to be treated fairly and justly in accordance with the 1992 Constitution, but not by any emotional and unilateral panic decision of an MCE who disrespects the Supreme laws of the land. His action is a recipe for a possible Human Disaster and confusion in the national capital Accra and therefore should not be condoned by any law-abiding citizen or organisation”.
“We are therefore passionately appealing to CHRAJ to ensure that the Fundamental Human Rights of the petitioners are adequately protected by the respondents and any decision taken does not make the status of the people worse than they used to be when they resettle at the proposed Ayikuma resettlement site,” the petitioners further stated.
However, speaking on ChannelOne TV, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly, Mohammed Awal clarified that, the relocation has become necessary to enable the government to use the 15-acres Momobi land for the construction of the “24-hour market project”.
He also said plans are in place to ensure that water and electricity would be made available for residential usage at the new Ayikumah site.
“We engaged them as an Assembly and told them of our decision to relocate them to Ayikumah. Ideally, they were supposed to have moved from the area on 1st November, 2025 and after that we have been engaging them severally and there are timelines to the things we do”.
“Currently, we are supposed to hand-over the Mamobi site to a contractor because the contract has been awarded already, but I am looking at a human-face to all that we are doing. We can enter there and clear the site without relocating anybody because they are occupying there illegally”.
Awal Mohammed further stressed that, After the construction of the 24-hour market, the affected residents who will be able to register would be considered first in the allocation of stalls before the Assembly will extend it to other interested individuals.
The Minister for Local Government, Religion and Chieftaincy Affairs, MCE for Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly, the Commander of the Kotobabi Divisional District Headquarters, Chairman of the Council of state, The Peace Council and Christian Council of Ghana were all copied in the petition.
By Richard Bright Addo
