Clement Boateng
THE ABOSSEY Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association – the official body of spare parts dealers in the capital – has come out to “set the records straight” on issues surrounding their relocation from their current location to Afienya in the Greater Accra Region.
Government, through the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), had announced plans to relocate spare parts traders from Abossey Okai to Afienya.
The relocation, which falls under the GARCC’s ‘Let’s Make Accra Work’ agenda being spearheaded by the Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, forms part of efforts to decongest the capital, especially the Central Business District (CBD).
However, a group that calls itself the National Concerned Spare Parts Dealers Association held a press conference last Tuesday, May 10, in which they blatantly resisted the move and threatened to stage a demonstration in two weeks should government fail to rescind on its plans.
In response, the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association also held a press conference last Thursday where they provided more insights into the development.
According to Clement Boateng, Co-Chairman of the Association, the Regional Minister, on assumption of office had a meeting with them together with traders from Kokompe and pledged government’s support by constructing an ultra-modern West Africa Automotive Hub which will have workshops, vehicle sales centres, and financial institutions among several other facilities.
The news was conveyed to members during one of their general meetings to solicit their views.
“This was welcomed with an overwhelming support from our members,” he disclosed.
However, “soon after that meeting, the shop owners started to express their displeasure about the project” despite several meetings with them and assuring them that “nobody was going to be forcefully ejected from here, but they seem not to be satisfied and have decided to kick against the project.”
He alleged further that, “we even met the shop owners last two weeks and were supposed to meet them yesterday [Wednesday, May 11] for further discussions only for them to hold this press conference last Tuesday.”
He stressed that, “we have held about four general meetings since this issue came out and anytime this relocation was put before the house, there has been an overwhelming support.”
“We want the whole world to know that our members are solidly behind us and are in full support of the project. We cannot let this project slip out of our hands because of the selfish and parochial interest of the minority to the detriment of the majority. The world is evolving and is about time we adjust ourselves to meet the demands of the growing automotive industry,” he stressed.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio
