Trade Fair Company defies court order to demolish structures of tenants

The Trade Fair Traders Association are on a warpath with officials of the Trade Fair Company Limited, over a demolition exercise carried out over the weekend. 

According to the traders, the Company defied a court order issued on April 29, restraining them from pulling down structures of entities that had occupied the land for several years.

These are companies whose lease agreements are yet to expire.

 At least seven of the companies are in court fighting off the decision by the Trade Fair Company.

They are demanding a proper settlement plan and compensation packages before their structures and equipment they say are worth millions of cedis, are demolished.

Chairman of the Tenants Union, Peter Awoonor Williams said, they are not against development but they want to be involved if there is going to be a redevelopment of the fairgrounds.

“If they think we are standing in the way of their development then they have to compensate us so we leave. The CEO refused and up until today, she has never bothered to speak to us as stakeholders,” he said.

He finds this distasteful as some people have been at the grounds for close to 40 years and must be treated with respect.

According to him, the authorities pasted a notice only two weeks ago and last Saturday, the CEO of the Trade Fair Company brought bulldozers with police and soldiers to pull down structures at the grounds.

On Thursday morning, the issue was heard in court where an interlocutory injunction was given restraining the Trade Fair Company from any further demolition of structures.