Abuakwa Dadiase Market Women Beg Otumfuo, Mahama to Halt Container Eviction by Assembly
Market women at Abuakwa Dadiase in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal Assembly of the Ashanti Region have passionately appealed to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, President John Dramani Mahama, the Ashanti Regional Minister, and the Chief of Abuakwa Dadiase to intervene and stop a planned container removal exercise that threatens their only means of survival.
According to the aggrieved women, the Municipal Assembly has issued a directive to remove all trading containers stationed at a commercial hub in the area called “Nso Nyame Ye.” These containers, they say, serve as vital market stalls from which they sell their goods to support their families. Many of them are single mothers and widows who rely solely on daily sales to cater for their children and households.
“We are not asking for much — only to be allowed to continue working in peace. The containers are our shops. Without them, we are finished,” cried one elderly trader during a press engagement.
The women say they were shocked to hear of the assembly’s sudden decision without prior engagement or provision of alternative locations. Many of them claim they have operated from their current locations for years, and some even spent their life savings to put up these containers.
“The government talks about women empowerment, but this is the opposite. Taking our containers is like taking our lives. We are begging Otumfuo and President John Dramani Mahama to step in quickly,” another market woman said with tears in her eyes.
The women say they have already written letters and made several attempts to reach out to the municipal authorities for dialogue but have received no positive feedback. They fear the demolition may happen any day without warning.
They expressed fears that the exercise could lead to a rise in poverty and crime in the area, as many displaced women may be forced into desperate means to survive. They are urging the assembly to either reconsider its decision or provide them with a well-structured market space where they can legally trade.
Some community members who support the traders also joined the call for intervention, warning that forcibly removing the containers without a proper resettlement plan could lead to social unrest.
When contacted, some local opinion leaders expressed concern about the lack of communication between the Assembly and the affected women and called for calm while efforts are made to engage all stakeholders in dialogue.
As the women continue to wait anxiously, their hope now rests in the hands of the leaders they have appealed to — Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, President Mahama, and other key authorities — to intervene swiftly and help protect the livelihoods of dozens of struggling families in Abuakwa Dadiase.
The situation is a stark reminder of the growing tension between urban development policies and the protection of informal economic activities, particularly those involving vulnerable groups like women traders.
By Benjamin Kwarteng
