Ashaiman market women aggrieved with Assembly

Some aggrieved market women at the Ashaiman Main Market have appealed to the government to ensure that the Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) kept its promise to build market sheds for them.

The market women numbering about 400 and wearing red bands, alleged that contrary to an agreement they had with ASHMA to construct sheds for them, the Assembly had rather initiated moves to construct shops and sell to others.

The market women who made the appeal on Thursday at a press conference said they would lose their source of livelihood, should the Assembly be allowed to continue with the construction of the stores.

Madam Joyce Dela Tomjoe, spokesperson for the group, stated that even though initially the Assembly proposed constructing shops at the place they were currently selling, they opposed it and after several meetings with officials of ASHMA and other stakeholders, an agreement was reached that sheds should be constructed for them.

Madam Tomjoe alleged that despite the terms of the agreement, they had information that officials of the Assembly were determined to construct the shops.

“It was concluded that simple market sheds should be built for (more than) 400 sellers. But unknown to us, when the project was due to start, we gathered information that it was the market stores we opposed that was to be built.”

The spokesperson added that on Wednesdays, at about 2200 hours, after close from work, they had information that the Assembly was coding off the market for construction works to start.

She said they rushed back to the market and realized that it was true, adding that they therefore stayed at the market till the following day to protest against the construction.

The aggrieved women questioned how they can afford to buy the shops when the construction is completed, since some of them are either widows or single mothers.

Source: GNA