The construction of the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy Market project at Dodowa in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region has come under scrutiny following concerns raised by families claiming interests in the land earmarked for redevelopment.
The dispute centres on the old Dodowa traditional market, which has been demolished to make way for the proposed project. The affected families have raised concerns about land ownership, consultation and compensation, alleging that the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly has failed to adequately engage them and address their grievances.
Bright Apperkon, spokesman and deputy leader of the Apperkon family, one of the families claiming an interest in the land, has criticised the Greater Accra Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Shai-Osudoku, Linda Ocloo, and the District Chief Executive (DCE), Ignatius Godfred, over what he describes as their failure to properly engage the affected families.
Speaking to 1960news.com, Mr Apperkon said the concerns of families with interests in the land should have been addressed before the redevelopment process began.
He maintained that the family is not opposed to the construction of the new market but demanding the appropriate procedures to be followed and the interests of the landowners respected.
According to Mr Apperkon, the government approached the family in 1990 to seek permission to use the land for the construction of a market at Dodowa.
Bright Apperkon, spokesman and deputy leader of the Apperkon family
He said a delegation led by the late Seth Parditey, a member of the family, engaged the family on behalf of the government, following which the family agreed to allow the land to be developed for the market.
However, Mr Apperkon claimed that about five years later, the family realised that the expected compensation for the land had not been paid. He said the family subsequently challenged the government to vacate the property.
By then, the market had already been constructed. The family, he explained, subsequently allowed traders to continue operating at the facility while the dispute remained unresolved.
Mr Apperkon alleged that the situation took a different turn recently when the old market was demolished to make way for the proposed 24-Hour Economy Market project without what he considered adequate consultation or a proper agreement with the affected landowners.
He further claimed that the family had not received compensation in the 36 years since the government initiated the process to use the land and called for the outstanding concerns to be addressed.
Mr Apperkon stressed that the family’s concerns are not directed at the government’s market redevelopment initiative itself but at the handling of the land acquisition process and the alleged failure to resolve the compensation issue.
He questioned the extent of consultation between the authorities and families claiming interests in the land, particularly regarding ownership of the old market site and arrangements for compensating those whose interests may have been affected.
The family has also expressed dissatisfaction with what it considers a lackadaisical approach by the District Assembly towards addressing its grievances.
According to Mr Apperkon, the family wants the relevant authorities to clarify the ownership arrangements, establish the status of compensation and engage the affected parties to find an acceptable way forward.
The dispute raises broader questions about stakeholder engagement and the need to address land-related concerns when public infrastructure projects involve land claimed by families or other private interests.
Mr Apperkon further disclosed that the family had initiated legal proceedings against the District Assembly, the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat and the Greater Accra Regional Minister over the dispute.
He claimed that the Secretariat had sought to distance itself from the matter, arguing that it is not responsible for the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy Market projects.
He further alleged that the District Assembly and the Regional Minister have failed to attend court hearings. The status of the proceedings and the positions of the parties concerned remain to be established.
Meanwhile, a temporary relocation site near the Dodowa Forest has been cleared to accommodate traders displaced by the demolition of the old market while preparations for the proposed 24-Hour Economy Market continue.
However, concerns over the ownership of the original market site and the alleged failure to resolve the compensation issue remain significant points of contention.
The situation presents a challenge for the local authorities, who must balance the implementation of the government’s market redevelopment initiative with the need to address the concerns of families claiming interests in the land.
The 24-Hour Economy Market initiative is intended to support commercial activity and improve market infrastructure. However, the concerns raised by the Apperkon family highlight the importance of addressing land-related grievances and consultation issues alongside the implementation of public projects.
The positions of the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly, the Greater Accra Regional Minister and other relevant authorities on the allegations, as well as the precise ownership arrangements and status of any compensation negotiations, remain to be established.
Attention will therefore be on the relevant authorities to respond to the concerns raised by the family and clarify the steps being taken to resolve the dispute.
1960news.com will continue to follow developments surrounding the Dodowa 24-Hour Economy Market project.
