Oseadeayo Ameywa Akumfi
From all indications, the stage is set for the Techiman Municipal Assembly to slug it out with the Traditional Council in court over the ownership of the main market, which is said to be the largest in West Africa.
The assembly avers that the market and the lorry park have been in its custody from time immemorial.
It says it has observed that the Traditional Council has started building lockable stores at the market without its approval.
According to the assembly, an emergency meeting was held in connection with the construction of lockable stores at the Techiman market and it was agreed that work should be stopped until certain things were ironed out, but the Council defied the instruction and went ahead with the building.
The assembly wants the court to declare that the market belongs to it and also order the construction of the lockable stores to be stopped until it is approved by the assembly. It also wants the court to order for the demolition of an unlawful structure which has been put up by the Traditional Council.
Speaking to DAILY GUIDE regarding the suit, Nana Afena Nketia II, the Twafohene of Techiman Traditional Area, said the market was built by the late Omanhene of Techiman, Nana Akumfi Ameyaw III, in the 1940s and was managed by the Council until the government took over the revenue collection aspect of it (market).
He said the government did not pay anything in terms of compensation to the Traditional Council, neither did successive governments enter into any agreement with the Council as far as the acquisition of the land was concerned.
Nana Afena Nketia II asserted that the Council did not complain because it thought it was for the benefit of the people of Techiman.
He said in recent times, the Council had realized that individuals had been given the opportunity to build lockable stores in the market and so it deemed it necessary to also build one since the market is situated on a stool land.
According to Nana Nketia, the Council met with the assembly and an agreement was reached for it (Council) to also build lockable stores according to the drawings of the assembly. He said because the chiefs hold the land in trust for the people, it is proper for them to do something for generations yet unborn.
As at the time of filing this report, the Traditional Council had summoned an emergency meeting to brainstorm over the suit.
FROM Daniel Y. Dayee, Techiman