The government has insisted that all trucks that intend to cart onions to the Agbogbloshie market in Accra will be stopped at Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality.

This measure is in place ahead of plans to relocate all the onion traders from the Agbogbloshie market to Adjen Kotoku by Thursday in a bid to decongest the city.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, made the announcement during a grand stakeholders’ durbar at Adjen Kotoku on Monday, June 28, 2021.

“Let me also put on record that from this evening (Monday), all onion trucks will be blocked at Amasaman. They will not enter the Agbogbloshie market from today.”

Meanwhile, the government has also presented an amount of GHS 500,000 to various trader unions to help them cart their goods to Adjen Kotoku in the Ga West Municipality.

According to the government, GHS 300,000 will be allocated to the onion sellers, with the remaining amount shared amongst other traders in the business enclave.

“Government is making available GHS 500,000. I want to reiterate that it is for transportation to Adjen Kotoku. Let me also put on record that from this evening,” the Minister said.

The government issued a seven-week ultimatum to onion traders in Accra to relocate from Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku.

The new market was established at Adjen Kotoku over a decade ago in a bid to decongest the central business district.

That market, however, remains abandoned.

Henry Quartey has said his outfit will demolish the Agbogbloshie Onion market on July 1, 2021.

Agbogbloshie onion sellers beg minister
As the deadline, July 1, 2021, however, draws closer, some onion traders have appealed to the government for more time to adequately prepare for the move.

“It is unfair for the Minister to give us such short notice to relocate. We pleaded with him for more time, but he did not heed to it. Besides, the stalls that have been provided are not good enough for selling onions. We have not said that we’ll not move; we are only begging for more time to put things together,” a trader said.

Another trader said “1st July is a few days away, we won’t be ready by then. We are pleading with the Regional Minister to give us some more time.”