More than 50 traders at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region have been displaced after a demolition exercise allegedly carried out by a private developer destroyed shops and structures along a roadside trading enclave on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The operation, which was reportedly undertaken in the early hours of the morning by unidentified individuals, left traders counting heavy losses as goods and personal belongings worth thousands of cedis were destroyed.
When journalists visited the scene, several affected traders were seen attempting to recover undamaged items from the debris. The victims, many of whom trade in plumbing materials, electrical appliances, provisions, and generators, claimed the demolition was conducted without prior notice.
One of the traders, Joseph Eli, said he received a phone call around 4:00 a.m. informing him that excavators and other heavy equipment had been deployed to pull down structures at the site.
According to him, by the time traders arrived around 5:30 a.m., the demolition team had completed the exercise and left the area.
Eli explained that the disputed land has reportedly been occupied by settlers and traders for more than 50 years. He claimed the occupants obtained legal documentation for the land following years of engagement with state institutions dating back to the administrations of former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor.
He further alleged that there had been attempts in the past to compel traders to sign documents transferring ownership of the land to another party.
“They brought documents for us to sign, but we rejected them because the documents sought to place the land in another person’s name,” he claimed.
The traders also accused some influential figures in Ashaiman of using intimidation tactics to force occupants off the land.
Another trader, Baba Tahiriniya, who said he has operated in the area since 1996, described the demolition as unlawful and unfair.
“We were never served any formal notice, yet they came with police protection and destroyed the shops while the case is still in court,” he stated.
The affected traders are now appealing to President John Dramani Mahama and other relevant authorities to intervene and ensure due process is followed.
They insist they will continue pursuing justice through the courts while demanding compensation for the destruction of their properties.
Ongoing Litigation
An official of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly confirmed that the land remains the subject of a legal dispute between the traders and a private developer claiming ownership.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey, who visited the scene, condemned the demolition and assured the affected traders that investigations would continue.
He stressed that no individual or institution has the authority to undertake demolition activities on land currently under judicial consideration.
According to the MP, the dispute should have remained before the courts until a final determination was made.
