
Sunyani, June 12, 2024
A section of traders at the
Nana Bosoma Market (the Sunyani Wednesday market) has sued the Sunyani Municipal Assembly for eviction due to market rehabilitation works the Assembly said is about commencing.
They are Container Owners Association of the Market seeking legal action at the Sunyani High Court.
The writ of summons, dated 31 May, 2024, sighted by this writer outlines the claims and reliefs sought by the plaintiffs (the Association) against the Defendant (Sunyani Municipal Assembly).
The plaintiffs (market women) claimed they were served with eviction notice by the Assembly on January 18, 2024, to give way for rehabilitation of the place.
They are therefore requesting a
declaration that the eviction notice was unreasonable and unconscionable, rendering it null and void.
The market women are also seeking an order to prevent the defendant (Assembly) from taking any further actions to evict or obstruct the businesses of the women on the market until the final resolution of the case.
The market women are again requesting a perpetual injunction to prevent the Assembly, their agents, assigns, privies, building contractors and laborers from interfering with their container shops.
Madam Benedicta Sunoma, one of the conveners confirmed the suit against the Assembly in an interview with the media, saying the case would be called on Friday, June 21, 2024.
Background
In April 2021, the late Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, the then Omanhene of the Sunyani Traditional Area, through the Sunyani Traditional Council offered them the construction of container shops for members of the Association to enhance their businesses, Mad. Sunoma said.
According to her, each member was required to pay GH¢5,000.00 to the late Omanhene, and that, the Omanhene provided them with the container shops, in which they plied their trade.
Hence, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the reconstruction of the Nana Bosoma Market lacked transparency and procedural integrity, particularly considering that no compensation had been offered to the plaintiffs.
The market women are arguing that their properties have not been properly valued to receive a fair and timely compensation, seeking an order from the Court to compel the defendant to provide the contract documents related to the reconstruction of the Nana Bosoma Market.
They are further seeking a declaration that the deadline given them is unjust, arbitrary and unconstitutional, and again requesting the defendant to guarantee in writing that the current occupants of the container shops will be returned to their current locations upon completion of works.
Thefourlens.com