[ 2014-12-22 ]

Cape Coast Kotokuraba Market finally demolished
After several weeks of legal tussle between some
kotokuraba traders and the Cape Coast Metropolitan
Assembly (CCMA) over the demolition of the market,
the exercise was on Friday midnight carried out
successfully.

It was originally scheduled for Wednesday October
1, but was halted by an interlocutory injunction
from a Cape Coast High Court.

The demolition will pave the way for the
construction of the much awaited ultra-modern
market, one of the projects initiated by the late
President Mills.

The Assembly had constructed temporary stores and
sheds for the traders at the Kotoka Market and the
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation area and as of
Friday evening almost all traders had vacated the
old structure.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) got to the market
at 0900hrs on Saturday morning, a grader had
demolished what used to be the busiest and biggest
market centre in the Metropolis.

The GNA observed that the area had been cordoned
off while the Police were present to ensure the
smooth execution of the exercise.

A section of the John Atta Mills Street and others
leading into the market and its surrounding areas
had been blocked.

Some residents including children took advantage
of the exercise to loot wood, iron rods and cement
blocks while some traders stood from afar to watch
in awe what had become of the market which was
once a source of income to them.

Meanwhile the eight aggrieved traders who dragged
the CCMA and three other defendants to court over
the exercise, on Thursday filed an application for
extension of time at a Cape Coast High Court with
respect to the exercise.

According to them the Assembly had not complied
with some conditions it was to fulfill before the
demolition exercise as ordered by the court
presided over by Justice Kwasi Dapaah in its
ruling on the case on Friday November 28.

The conditions were that the Assembly could
demolish the market after midnight of Friday,
December 19, only if it gave written alternative
note assuring the applicants and the members of
the Concerned Traders Association, space in the
ultra-modern structure, when completed.

The Assembly was also to hand over to each of the
eight applicants, keys to their cubicles in the
temporary structure, in not less than seven days
before the demolition exercise.

When the application for extension was mentioned
in court on Friday to be granted or refused,
Justice Dapaah did neither but only wondered why
the case had been scheduled for hearing on
Tuesday, December 23, by the registry when the
court would then be on Christmas break.

He explained that the court did not necessarily
order the demolition of the market on Friday,
December 19 but rather only after the conditions
of the judgment were fulfilled.

Justice Dapaah did not schedule any date for
hearing and this disappointed the applicants and
their sympathizers who had come to court with
hopes of getting the demolition exercise
extended.

On the Wednesday September 24, 2014, eight
aggrieved Kotokuraba traders filed a motion of
stay of execution against the demolishing of the
market scheduled for Wednesday October 1, 2014.

In their statement of claim, the traders alleged
among others, that cubicles in the temporary
market were too small, made with inferior
materials, too warm, not human friendly and
inconvenient for business.

In the process of the trial of the case, Osabarima
Kwesi Atta II, the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional
Area prayed the court for a possible out of court
settlement which was granted but was however
unable to settle the case amicably at his palace.

The matter was subsequently brought to court for
full trial, at the end of which the court gave an
order for the demolishing of the market based on
aforementioned conditions.

Source - GNA

... go Back