The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, has directed traders at the Agbogbloshie Onion Market to vacate the area in lieu of a major decongestion exercise scheduled next month.
The exercise to be undertaken by the Regional Coordinating Council in partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly from February 24 to 27 is to pave way for the redevelopment of the area by the government and to protect public safety.
Ms Ocloo gave the warning during a working visit to the enclave on Monday, which was earmarked by the previous government for a major project after being declared toxic and unsafe for human habitation.
She explained that residents and traders were evacuated several months ago following scientific assessments that confirmed the area posed serious health risks.
“The place has been declared toxic for human habitation, and people living there are not safe,” she said, noting that although the occupants were evacuated, some individuals returned shortly after the general elections.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister said the government would not allow a reoccupation of the site and had therefore decided to give a last notice to ensure the area was completely vacated by February.
She raised security and infrastructure concerns following investigations into alleged cable theft and illegal scrap trading activities at the site.
According to her, intelligence reports had linked stolen streetlight cables, electrical meters, transformers and other power infrastructure to scrap dealers operating in the area.
Ms Ocloo said her team, during inspections of warehouses and yards, discovered large quantities of fresh electrical cables and meters, confirming earlier allegations.
She questioned the ability of scrap dealers to determine whether cables brought to them were stolen or legitimately acquired, stressing that such activities were contributing to persistent streetlight failures across the capital.
As a result, she said enforcement agencies and national security had been invited to take over investigations, while some facilities were ordered to shut down temporarily. “
“Whatever we heard turned out to be true,” she stated, adding that government would not tolerate criminal activity under the guise of livelihood.
She emphasised that directives to evacuate the area were not new, recalling that similar instructions were issued during an earlier visit, with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly tasked to ensure compliance.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ablekuma Central, Mr Frank Nkansah, said the Assembly, working with national security and the Municipal Security Council, had earlier stopped the dumping of refuse at the site.
He revealed that following security operations in nearby Zongo communities, some individuals, including suspected drug peddlers, relocated to Agbogbloshie, worsening congestion and insecurity.
This, he said, made the area increasingly unsafe for legitimate economic activity.
He noted that government was mindful of livelihoods and would not create unemployment, stressing that only illegal activities would be removed.
“Plans are underway to establish a police post, deploy assembly task forces, set up a miniature office and strengthen physical controls, including raising boundary walls and installing a central gate to regulate access,” Mr Nkansah stated.
He also disclosed that environmental restoration efforts, including tree planting and afforestation, would be undertaken in line with Environmental Protection Agency reports which indicated the area could take decades to recover.
He therefore, appealled to the media and the public to support government efforts, stressing that the operation was aimed at restoring safety, protecting public infrastructure and ensuring that Agbogbloshie was redeveloped in a structured and sustainable manner for the benefit of the capital.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
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