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Tension at Akwatialine …as wood sellers resist eviction
Portions of the land has been fenced
Tension is mounting at Akwatialine Wood Market in the Ashanti Region as the Wood Sellers Association has threatened to resist every attempt to move them from the place by the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly.
The association has accused the assembly of making plans to evict its members from the parcel of land being used as the wood market.
About two weeks ago, one person was hospitalised in a clash between the police and the traders, while dozens were arrested.
The Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly stormed the area with the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Ghana Police Service to evict them to make way for the construction of stores by a private developer.
A visit to the area by The Spectator during the week saw 300 metres stretch of land fenced with aluminium sheets by the private developer.
According to the Secretary of the Association, Mohammed Umar, it had taken them by surprise to see the place fenced while traders still had their goods within.
He explained that following the clash between the traders and police, the Assembly called for a dialogue to resolve the matter.
He said that while the issue was being discussed, “we came to work today only to see the place fenced, but we will not give in to that”.
“The Assembly is asking us to vacate a place we have lived for over 50 years to pave way for the construction of new stores, and we are demanding that they give us a place to relocate our businesses.
”The assembly is yet to show us where to go, and all of a sudden they brought heavily armed policemen to beat and evict us forcefully… and now the place is fenced.
“Until the Assembly relocates us, we are not moving an inch,” he said, and called on authorities in the region to, as a matter of urgency, resolve the issue and find a place to relocate them.
Efforts to contact the Assembly for comments proved futile.
From Kingsley E.Hope, Kumasi
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
