NDC condemns demolition of businesses at Trade Fair Centre

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the demolition of the offices and businesses in the precinct of the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre at La, in Accra.

It described the Sunday dawn exercise as a “bizarre and capricious application of state power by the Akufo-Addo government in the victimisation of political opponents.”

A statement issued by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia in Accra yesterday said “This demolishing exercise constitutes an act of economic brutality targeted at a hardworking young businessman.”

The offices including Color Planet Limited, an Industrial Printing Press owned and operated by investigative journalist Raymond Archer, formerly of the‘Enquirer’ newspaper was razed down by an ‘excavator’ operated by national security operatives and uniformed police officers.

While Mr Archer has argued that he was not notified of the court order that empowered the demolition and that theexercise was politically motivated, the management of the trade fair has rebuffed the claim, saying they notified all tenants to vacate the area two years ago but they have resolved not to move.

But in the view of the NDC, the demolishing formed part of a grand scheme targeted at destroying all businesses with some form of perceived leanings to the party.

“We have witnessed the unlawful closure of financial institutions, radio stations,media houses, construction companies and several other local businesses” the statement said.

It recalled demolishing of a 4-bedroom house belonging to Mustafa Gbande, a former NDC Deputy Regional Secretary of the Volta Region by a team of national security and police operatives, saying these actions had socio-economic impact of people’s livelihood.

“At this point, we are convinced this various acts of impunity by the Akufo-Addo government constitute an act of provocation against the NDC and its entire membership.

As a matter of urgency, we demand an immediate cessation of these acts of provocation and intimidation of innocent citizens. President Akufo-Addo must be reminded that when injusticeand impunity becomes law, resistance becomes an inevitable duty of the people”, the statement said.

BY TIMES REPORTER