Traders and squatters operating around the Nima residence of President Nana Akufo-Addo have begun evacuating the area which has been declared a security zone.
There was evidence of some transported kiosks from the slum-like area when GhanaWeb visited the place Monday morning.
On Friday, March 9, National Security gave the Traders and squatters up to Thursday, March 15, to pack out of the area.
According to Bryan Acheampong, the proximity of the traders and squatters to the President’s private residence make it difficult for the national security to allow them to continue to operate from the vicinity.
Speaking to an Accra based Starr FM, Mr Acheampong said whether the president moves to the Flagstaff House or not, his private residence is still a security zone and needs 24-hour security protection.
“The Private Residence of President Akufo-Addo needs to be protected all the time whether or not he lives there…we have many people selling around the President’s residence. It is a major security threat to the President. We are joking if we allow these people to stay there,” Mr Acheampong told Starr FM.
Meanwhile, the affected persons confirmed to GhanaWeb that they have received the said ‘compensation’ but it was not the same like as it was reported in the media.
They said even though they agree that the place has become a security zone, the authorities gave them a ‘token’ to help transport their stuff to a place they find convenient.
In a statement signed by Information Minister Mustapha Hamid on Sunday stated that the president is compensating the traders from his own resources and not using state funds.
This is contrary to some media reports that the traders had been given a week’s notice to relocate to a different environment, “extensive consultations were undertaken between the Office of the President, National Security, and the traders and artisans, before the implementation of this decision.”
He noted that “the leadership of the artisans and traders requested for a six-week grace-period from National Security, beginning from the last week of January 2018, to enable them to move” and as a result, the request was just being met.
“President Akufo-Addo has taken the view that the national purse should not be burdened on a matter such as this, and has gone on to pay these compensations from his personal resources,” the statement further read.
The compensation packages reportedly range between GHC 3,000 and GHC 10,000.
