By Aaron Hammond 
Elections come and go but the common market trader always bears the heavy pain. Anger recently boiled over at the busy Pokuase Timber Market as furious business owners staged a massive protest. They bitterly complained about a sudden directive threatening their survival. Local authorities want to clear the area for a new project without proper relocation plans.
The aggrieved traders at Pokuase expressed deep regret over supporting the ruling party during the last general elections. One angry trader voiced out the frustration of many by stating that they voted for the NDC to come to power, but now they want to take away our livelihoods. Hearing such painful words from loyal supporters tells you that something is seriously wrong on the ground. People work very hard every day to feed their families and pay school fees.
Demolishing popular market spaces without providing a better alternative creates severe economic hardship for everyone. Many of these timber sellers at Pokuase took bank loans to stock up their wooden sheds with expensive materials. Destroying their shops overnight means pushing hundreds of innocent citizens straight into heavy financial debt. Government officials must always remember that local businesses are the true backbone of our national economy.
Assembly leaders need to sit down with market leadership and negotiate a peaceful middle ground. Sudden bulldozer actions always leave behind weeping mothers and stranded fathers who know no other trade. Dialogue works far better than issuing harsh eviction notices that cause unnecessary panic. We urgently hope the local municipal assembly listens to the desperate cries of these hardworking traders before taking any drastic steps.
Also Read: Dramatic Shootout As Police Foil Labone Bank Raid