Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has said the demolition of some property at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, Sunday, was politically motivated.
Speaking on PM Express, Monday, Mr. Gyamfi described as ‘barbaric’ the decision to reduce factories to debris, stressing that the act was unlawful.
“As a party, we condemn in no uncertain terms, this draconian demolition exercise which was carried out by the National Security and the authorities of Trade Fair. It is illegal, improper, unconscionable, unfair and barbaric,” he said.
“Clearly, this is a political job. What they have done has got nothing to do with the law. It is politically-motivated. It is a clear case of injustice,” he added.
Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited (GTFCL) pulled down a number of structures belonging to different companies following a redevelopment project it intends to undertake.
The exercise which began around 10pm and ended after 12:00am saw two bulldozers and a team of armed police officers overseeing the destruction of structures and heavy industrial equipment.
Raymond Archer, Chief Executive Officer of Universal Labels & Packaging Co. Ltd and Colour Planet Limited, whose facilities were among the many that were demolished told GhanaWeb his factory has been in operation for over a decade and had injected a whopping $10 million into the business.
A visibly worried Mr. Archer speaking to GhanaWeb suggested that government erred because his lawyers earlier filed an appeal and a stay of execution after officials went to court to lift an injunction that the court had placed on the Trade Fair.
“Four years ago, I was here when officials came that they want to redevelop the Trade Fair so I said okay. I’m a legal tenant and my construction was actually supervised by the Trade Fair. I’ve put in $10 million here…so they started doing a whole lot of things here which made me head to court,” he recalled.
The demolition of his facility therefore came to him as a surprise. He wondered why businesses will be targeted for destruction in the incessant quest to erect another for political reasons.
He said: “We built a beautiful factory that employs over 120 workers, there are a lot of products were are doing now that we’re are the only factory in Africa that can do these kinds of works. So to see our government target a business like this and break it down midnight is really unacceptable.
“We are citizens here. How do you destroy one’s business because you want to bring another person’s business using politics? If you destroy my business with politics, then what? If I also get power, I also break it down? Where did we go as a people? And this business has nothing to do with politics. In fact, when I was doing this business, I specifically not to do government projects purposely because I didn’t want the politics in my business. Every work we're doing here is for private sector.
"So to target the business, [and say] 'we're government, you can't fight the government...';'I’m not here to fight the government; I’m here to earn a living and an honest one at that.”
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He (Raymon Archer) acquired the place through politics and it is only politics that can take him away from there. You see, Raymond Archer in those days thought he will be in power forever. He used his political connections to get a huge allocation of Ghana's trade fair and even that but the Ga Adamgbe Youth did not see anything wrong with it like it happened to Pres. Kuffour. His government did not think that the trade fair could be developed for the whole country to benefit. It was in the same place people attended PAFAM 90 and Grand Sales where any person could come and display their wares but Raymond and co used their politics to personalize those areas. We know of others who tried getting similar facilities when they realized that the government had given Raymond and co allocations but were turned down because of their political affiliations. Today Raymond is crying about uprooted investments?. He sat on radio and destroyed peoples hard won reputation and he did not care. Those were their investments but he destroyed it without mercy to serve his pay masters. You see what has happened to the ill gotten money he got from his paymasters?. Such is life. Kama comes at us but when it comes we look for sympathy. if he got it political power and we were right. We have also taken our trade fair to support the trade in Africa. Finito. He should go and look for land else where just like we are all looking for a place to start our life.
They will politicize every issue but never go to court to contest it. They always throws dust in the eyes of Ghanaians. I fear these people leading Ghana again. No wonder they lost lots of cases during their time of reign. Abonfo nkoaa. carrying titles they cant function with it.
My friend stop being an enemy of progress. It is not every isuue that we play politics with. In fact, the trade fair site is being redeveloped for Ghana to take advantage of the benefits of hosting the Africa Continental Free Trade Area(AcFTA), among other reasons. Raymond Archer knew of the pending redevelopment plans for more than one year. He felt his parochial interest is bigger than GH. He refused to make plans to relocate his factory. Because he is politically connected he felt that he could frustrate the trade fair authorities (GTFCL) with impunity. In any case, he has no current lease to operate at the site. What about the other businesses which heeded the advise of GTFCL and relocated their businesses? Are they less important than Raymond Archer? Please we stop this idea of supporting impunity. That is one of reason why the country is not progressing. Think more about mother GH, rather than your political party.
Why not go to the court if you have suspicions about the demolition. The NDC type of politics stinks. It is only their supporters who understand.
If you have ever lost 10 Cedis, and see how painful it is, you feel for the owners of those businesses pulled down in that manner. Politics will kill this beautiful Country. What a shame.
Why not go to the court if you have suspicions about the demolition. The NDC type of politics stinks. It is only their supporters who understand.
His disrespectful nature will prolong NDC stay in opposition for years because Ghanaian's youth hate arrogant character as been display be him. Wining an election is to sell your message to the electorates but it appears Sammy Gyamfi resorts to insult superficially the elderly in the society .The elders have their decedent which you will require their thump to win an election and same you are insulting them WHY????? WHY????? WHY?/?? yOU ARE DESTROYING THE PARTY .
If that factory were to be owned by a Chinese, it wouldn't have suffered that faith. Therefore if not because of political or tribal reason, why would a government be so inhumane, callous and wicked to its own citizens. More so when same government is preaching 1d1f. How sincere is the government in this campaign? Why is the moral society quiet on this barbaric act?
Why would this guy always politicize issues? Massa! woye akwadaa to wobo ase wai. Don't think you are too intelligent than anybody in this country. The fact that you can talk does not make you intelligent. You dey rush too much. And being a lawyer does not mean you know everything