Akufo-Addo’s House: Eviction of Traders Exploitative – Akwetey

The Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey has described the eviction of shop owners operating around the Nima residence of President Akufo-Addo by the National Security as “mean” and “exploitative.”

The shop owners who have been operating around the President’s private residence for more than two decades have been given a March 15 deadline to relocate after receiving various compensation package.

The compensation package ranges between GHC3,000 and GHC10,000.

However, the shop owners are grumbling over what they say is the woefully inadequate compensation considering the fact that their means of livelihood is being taken away from them.

“They have given us the money but we are not happy about the amount. Some of us have been here for more than 20 years and all we could get is GHC3000. How do I take care of my family of six with this small money? I have been selling Gari and Beans here for 22 years, now I have no place to go and sell and they want me to move by next week,” one of the affected persons told Starr News Mawuena Egbeta.

But Dr. Akwetey in a text message to Starr News bemoaned that the move will impoverish the shop owners.

“The compensation being paid to the President’s neighbours who are being evicted for security reasons is mean and exploitative,” adding: “The amounts paid out to them will impoverish them and cause distress and suffering to their families for many years.”

Wondering why the President is still living in his private residence instead of the Flagstaff House, Dr. Akwetey urged the President to “personally intervene and be magnanimous towards them [shop owners].

Sources familiar with the development have told Starr News that the President has out of sympathy resisted efforts by the national security to sack the shop owners.

Source: Starrfmonline