The police providing security for the relocation of onion sellers at Agbogbloshie in the Ablekuma Central to Adjen Kotoku had to fire warning shots and tear gas at some people it described as “criminals” on Thursday, 1 July 2021, the deadline for all the sellers to have moved.

The Operation’s Commander, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told journalists that: “It is a peaceful exercise that has been discussed and planned regarding the evacuation of onion traders from Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku”.

“The market women have fully cooperated and they are not even here currently because they are even setting up at Adjen Kotoku. But it is some criminal elements that want to take advantage of the situation to mar the operation”, he said.

“You can see the security forces taking every step to protect the traders wherever they are. Some groups of criminals have intended to burn and disrupt their businesses and cause mayhem,” he noted.

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, is leading the relocation of the onion sellers as part of his ‘Let Make Accra Work’ pet project, which involves decongesting slums and removing unauthorised structures in the capital city.

He told journalists at the Agbogbloshie site that as of the deadline, more than 90 per cent of the sellers had moved and that “means they have shown good faith, they have done very well” and “I salute them”.

“This is the capital city of Ghana and this is what we find ourselves in”.

“We had intended to use three days to clear the place but from the look of the magnitude of filth, we may spend about a week in doing that job”.

“Now that we’ve cleared the place, we won’t allow even a single person to come to the site again. It is done. We are going to move on. We’ve taken possession of the land and we’ll put it to good use”, he said