Shop Owners at Roman Ridge along the Onyasia Crescent street in Accra are appealing to the government to temporarily halt its planned demolition of their shops to make way for development works.

The traders lament the area has no market thus the decision to destroy their shops will make access to basic household needs difficult for residents.

Shops numbering about 25 have been earmarked for demolition by the Ministry of Works and Housing.

Already, two deadlines have been given to these traders to evacuate the area. The first deadline was in July 2022 and the second was in November 2022.

Speaking to the media, the spokesperson of the group, Serwaa Asamoah also wants the government to either compensate them or finalize processes for a Memorandum of Understanding in order to have a new market constructed since there is none in the area.

“Roman ridge has no market and residents of the community must travel outside the community to buy their daily needs. We have to take bank loans to invest in developing the temporary commercial structures to serve our community’s convenient needs and our removal within the two-week time limit will impose untold financial hardship on us.

“It would interest you to know that we had meetings with the Minister and management of the Ministry of Works and Housing, and they promised to build shops to relocate us there by signing an MOU. We are sad to inform you that this promise has not been fulfilled.”

Mary Azah is also a shop owner. For her, the government should give them more time to sell off their goods before their shops get demolished