A public dispute has broken out between former Defence Minister and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, and Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey over plans to demolish parts of the Konkomba Yam Market at Agbogbloshie to build the new 24-hour economy market initiative.
Nitiwul said the demolition plan appears to target the area of the market run mainly by Konkomba traders while leaving other sections untouched. He claimed that his objection is about protecting the interests of traders and yam farmers tied to the market, saying a large share of yam suppliers come from his constituency.
He stated,’ In the case of Konkomba market, my people are the people of Ghana. 3-4 million yams are sold daily at the Konkomba market, and I represent those people. I also represent the yam producers from my own constituency; 90 per cent of the yam producers are from my constituency, so I represent and speak for them.’
Allotey then pushed back firmly, denying that the Konkomba community was being singled out. He said he had toured the market more than 15 times before the redevelopment project came up and had personally helped mark out the area planned for construction.
Defending his active involvement, he also said, ’I don’t sit in the office; I am not an office mayor; I don’t wear a political suit. I am always on the grounds; I know what I am about, I know what I’m saying, I don’t give fake news, I don’t deceive people.’
Mr Allotey further said the Mahama administration has been working to improve conditions for Konkomba traders, not push them out.
The sharpest disagreement centres on whether proper discussions took place. Nitiwul says Allotey met with market leaders on July 28 and showed them drawings of the proposed redevelopment, and that traders told the mayor it was their first real meeting with him, after earlier talks had involved people they didn’t consider their legitimate representatives.
Allotey rejected that version of events outright and accused Nitiwul of contradicting his own earlier statements and lying about the consultation process. He also demanded that Nitiwul apologise for misleading the public.
As of now, the two sides remain at odds over both the fairness of the demolition plan and the accuracy of each other’s account of what discussions actually happened.
