24-Hour Economy: Minority questions demolition of schools, markets and other public assets

The Minority in Parliament has criticised the demolition of existing public and community infrastructure to make way for projects under the government’s 24-Hour Economy Market Programme.

Addressing a press briefing on Monday, September 14, the ranking member of Parliament’s Local Government Committee, Francis Asenso-Boakye, said the developments raise serious questions about planning, consultation and value for money.

“We cannot preach decentralization while imposing development priorities from the centre. We cannot destroy useful public and community assets merely to replace them in the name of a new political programme,” he said.

Mr Asenso-Boakye cited several examples of existing infrastructure that he said had been demolished or earmarked for demolition to make way for 24-hour economy markets.

He said the existing Asesewa Market in the Upper Manya Krobo area had been earmarked for demolition, while an astroturf under construction at Mamponteng in the Kwabre East Municipality had reportedly been demolished for the programme.

He also cited the Nkenkaasu Market in the Offinso North District, which he said was constructed and commissioned under former President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2007 and had been serving the community before it was reportedly demolished.

According to him, a community bank facility at Aboabo had also reportedly been demolished.

Mr Asenso-Boakye further raised concerns about a newly constructed school in the Ahafo Ano South West District in the Ashanti Region, which he said had reportedly been marked for demolition to make way for a 24-hour economy market.

“More disturbing is the fact that grading has already taken place and foundation works have commenced in the middle of the school premises,” he said.

He questioned why a newly constructed educational facility would be considered for demolition at a time when communities continue to require basic educational infrastructure.

The Minority also cited the reported demolition of a Magistrate Court in Nandom in the Upper West Region and the Enchi Market in the Aowin Constituency of the Western North Region.

Mr Asenso-Boakye said the Enchi Market was newly constructed and had not yet been occupied by the community before it was reportedly pulled down despite resistance from residents.

He questioned the justification for using public funds to construct a market only for another public programme to demolish it before it could be used.

The Minority said similar concerns had emerged in several other communities, including Wa, where the 70-year-old Tendamba Primary School was reportedly demolished.

It also cited reported demolitions at Poyentanga, Agona East, Wenchi, Keta, Kasoa and Elubo, as well as resistance from traders at Nungua, Kwabenya, Aiyinase, Ashaiman and Kokomba markets.

“These are not isolated concerns. Together, they point to a troubling pattern: existing markets, newly constructed facilities, schools, businesses, homes and other community assets are being displaced or demolished in the name of a programme whose local economic justification has not been sufficiently demonstrated,” Mr Asenso-Boakye said.

He called on the government to explain the economic justification for demolishing useful and, in some cases, recently constructed public assets only to spend scarce public resources replacing them.

“At a time of severe fiscal constraints, Government must explain the economic justification for destroying useful and, in some cases, recently constructed public assets, only to spend scarce public resources replacing them,” he said.

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