Traders at the Tema Industrial Market around the Mankoadze VVIP Roundabout in Tema Community One, are up against the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Mayor, Felix Annang-La, for selling out the market stretch of land which has been demarcated as a buffer zone and an assembling point to a Chinese developer, for the construction of a shopping mall at the expense of the public.
The traders who have been holding series of demonstration, say the construction of the supposed Mall will not only pose threat to lives and properties but also destroy their businesses.
The latest agitation by the traders of the Tema Industrial market at the Mankoadze Roundabout, nearly resulted in a messy scene, following the arrival of armed police personnel to prevent the agitated crowd from disrupting an ongoing construction work on the disputed state reserved land which also houses the VVIP bus terminal.
The Traders are unhappy the Tema municipal assembly has leased the land which also serves as a buffer zone, to a Chinese investor for 50 years, to construct a shopping mall at the expense of already existing Ghanaian traders in the area, whose businesses stands threatened if the project is completed.
Chairman of the Tema Industrial Market Owners Association Samuel Essuman, said the assembly has failed to engage the traders in spite of the fact that the ongoing construction will affect both the traders and pose danger to motorist using the roundabout.
“What we are also asking is why is the assembly leasing the land to the Chinese investor when it clearly knows the said land is a buffer zone and could be used for a road expansion project in the nearest term” he asked.
The traders clad in red say the remain resolute in the efforts to resist the assembly from what they believe is an illegality.
In an interview the Mayor of Tema, Felix Annang-La, he described the agitations by the traders as baseless. He said the land which has been leased to the VVIP bus terminal is only being redeveloped to give the area a face-lift.
According to him the land was sold to the Chines developer by the previous NDC government but he supports the course because he believes the project would give the area a facelift.
When asked about issues of road safety he said the engineers are on top of issues.
