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The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) has embarked on a demolition exercise to protect its high-tension power lines from encroachers and squatters.
The operation, which commenced Tuesday dawn, was carried out with the support of joint armed military and police personnel, who provided security and ensured a safe environment for the demolition exercise.
Affected traders at the Nana Bosoma Market were left reeling as they assessed their losses.
One of the authorities supervising the exercise who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that the exercise is a collaborative effort between GRIDCo, the Sunyani East Municipal Assembly, and the Bono Regional Coordinating Council.
According to him, they had issued several warnings and announcements, even on radio stations in the Bono Region, for over two months, urging occupants to vacate the area willingly or risk forceful eviction. However, the warnings were ignored, leading to the use of force to evict the squatters.
He told Kaakyire Kwasi Afari of Sunyani-based Ark fm that the demolition exercise was targeted at clearing all unauthorized structures and is expected to last for about a week.
The owner of a popular drinking spot “Royal Cottage Pub (ROCO)” was shocked to see her property demolished. She suddenly collapsed and was quickly whisked away for medical care.
A trader who gave her name as Maame Serwaa noted that they had received several warnings, but some traders had failed to vacate voluntarily.
“GRIDCO started warning us to leave as far back as the COVID-19 era, but some people refused,” she told Kaakyire Kwasi Afari.
Residents described the demolished area as a hotspot for social vices, including petty theft, substance abuse, robbery, and commercial sex activities.
One resident narrated to Kaakyire Kwasi Afari that the area had become a no-go zone at night, while another mentioned that Sunyani Technical University students had stopped renting hostel facilities nearby due to attacks on their belongings.
The GRIDCo substation in Sunyani was encroached by slums and metal containers, predominantly occupied by foreign nationals.
Some traders at the Nana Bosoma Market have mounted temporal tables and structures for their small businesses.
While some traders expressed support for the exercise, citing health risks associated with high-voltage power supply, others felt that GRIDCo could have given them more grace period to minimize the impact on their businesses.
Many traders affected by the exercise are worried about finding alternative space for their businesses, given the inadequate market space available.
Source: Kaakyire Kwasi Afari.
