The Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, Goosie Tanoh has disassociated his outfit from the 24-Hour Markets project.
He said that project is not the responsibility of the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat.
“The 24-Hour Markets Project is not our responsibility. We are not into development of markets. We don;t know anything about that,” he said at a media briefing on August 19.
“We have been sued for demolition of buildings. Something that we have nothing to do with. Our lawyer is going to make an application to get our names off those suits,” he added.
According to him, that project “Belongs to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.”
“The markets are funded by the District Assemblies Common fund. So, we have no jurisdiction over that,” he stressed.
The 24-Hour Markets Project has become topical in recent times. The controversy stems from demolition of existing markets for new ones and rifts over land allocated for the project.
A recent example is the demolition a building housing a bank in Kumasi.
It is recalled that on August 12, Management of the Sekyedumase Rural Bank threatened a legal action after the Aboabo branch was demolished to pave way for the 24-hour market project currently being spearheaded by the government.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Afriyie Michael Kwabena, speaking on Ghana Akoma on Akoma FM with Sir John said there has been ongoing conversation with the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly over a movement plan which was progressing fluidly until the sudden demolition.
“We have had meetings after the Assembly had informed us about the 24-hour market project. We even enquired whether the bank could be incorporated into the project design but that was unsuccessful.
The alternative was to get an alternative place for our operation. In fact, the Assembly allocated a place in the Asawase market, but we needed to inform our regulator for approval,” he said on August 12.
Abrupt Demolition
The CEO of the Sekyedumase Rural Bank further stated that the Assembly, without any official ejection notice went on to demolish the building housing the bank.
“Several properties belonging to the bank were destroyed, including important documents.”
“But customer data and records remain intact due to our network system.”
“Nonetheless, he said they could not account for hard cash “we could not account for about GHC10 million which was kept in our vault after the demolition.”
Reacting to the development, presiding member of the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, Mohammed Al-Jara said the demolition exercise was done before the General Assembly got know.
“We were supposed to have a General Assembly to discuss the matter, but it didn’t happen,” he told Sir John.
The bank has hinted of going to court to compel the Assembly pay for damages.
