Although she is yet to be elected to represent the people of Dome-Kwabenya, Adwoa Safo, NPP parliamentary aspirant for the constituency, has jumped to the defence of Dome market women, who are being forced to vacate their place of trading by the Assembly�s officials.
The Ga West Municipal Assembly has indicated that the Dome market has been earmarked to undergo reconstruction and so the traders ought to vacate the place.
Addressing the media Monday, the MP aspirant expressed worry that no alternative place had been designated for the people to sell during the period the market will be closed.
Madam Safo also wanted to know who was undertaking the project: the Assembly or a private individual. She stated, �There is the need to find an alternative place for these traders and sellers to continue to sell so that they could also continue to go on with life.� Meanwhile, the traders continue to receive daily warnings and threat to vacate the market premises.
Against this backdrop, the MP aspirant has urged the Municipal Chief Executive to come clear on the issue. According to her, the idea of reconstructing the market was laudable, adding, however, that the situation seemed hopeless as many people�s livelihood is totally dependent on the Dome market. �These people need not suffer unduly as a result of a developmental project the government or any individual is undertaking,� she noted.
The market women have alleged that some officials from the Assembly have resorted to extorting monies from them with the promise to give them space upon completion of the project.
They are charged between Eighty and One Hundred and Twenty Ghana cedis for a green and black card with the hope that when the project is completed they would be given space to sell. �Where do these monies go?� the aspirant asked.
Some of the market women who spoke to this paper wondered why there are two markets in the area -- Big Market and Kwasea Market -- but only those at the latter are being forced to vacate without providing an alternative place for them.
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