Shots fired as scrap dealers resist Agbogbloshie ejection

Scrap dealers at Agbogbloshie in Accra are resisting the decongestion exercise by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council.

The scrap dealers and onion traders at Agbogbloshie are being relocated to Adjen Kotoku to help free the congestion in the central business district (CBD) of Accra as part of the agenda "Make Accra work" initiated by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey.

Graphic Online's reporter Joshua Bediako Koomson who is with the team undertaking the exercise reports that the decongestion exercise started Thursday morning was moving smoothly until the team arrived at the scrap dealers section.

The dealers set spent vehicle tyres ablaze in protest against their removal from the spot, claiming they were served no eviction notice.

According to our reporter, they were throwing stones at the security personnel who in turn fired shots to disperse.

"They also started burning tyres", he added.

He said the exercise aimed at removing onion traders and scrap dealers to Adjen Kotoku was peaceful until they reached the scrapyard.

The scrap dealers argued that they were not served any notice to vacate the place.

"So the military had to intervene by firing warning shots to disperse them," he added.

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• Read also: 
• Onion sellers settling at Adjen Kotoku
• Accra: Onion traders begin to relocate from Agbogbloshie
• Agbogbloshie onion sellers want to kill me - Henry Quartey

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