Peter Awoonor
TENANTS AT THE Ghana International Trade Fair Centre have come out to register their displeasure over treatment being meted out to them by the management of the facility which has caused anxiety in many shop owners.
At a press conference held at the Centre at La in Accra on Wednesday, October 10, Chairman of the Fair City Tenants Association (FCTA), Mr. Peter Awoonor, who served as the mouthpiece for the tenants, lamented the sour relationship between the tenants and management of the facility in recent times.
In his address, Mr. Awoonor disclosed that management had taken major decisions which had affected the facility without recourse to the tenants – a situation they consider as distasteful.
He claimed that management in a letter dated 25th September, 2018, partly stated: “THERE IS NO BOARD RESOLUTION APPOINTING FAIR CITY TENANTS ASSOCIATION AS THE OFFICIAL BODY REPRESENTING ALL TENANTS”. According to him, it indicates that they do not recognize the Association.
Furthermore, incessant increment of rent without consultation with the tenants or other stakeholders is also a problem they have been facing. Mr. Awoonor said management increased rent without engaging the leadership of the Tenants Association. He said a tenant who was paying GH¢1,200 as rent as of November last year was served a notice on 20th December, 2017, requesting him or her to pay an amount of GH¢8,540 as monthly rent.
The Association petitioned management for clarification on the newly stipulated amounts but has since not had any tangible response from them. The situation is currently in court.
Chairman for the Association claimed that management sent them a letter requesting tenants to move out of the centre as they are to embark on a project to break down the centre and rebuild it to meet international standards.
This he said was a laudable initiative but should follow the appropriate procedures such as engaging the tenants and all other stakeholders for collective participation since the various companies that occupy the Centre need to be informed in terms of plans and projects for the Centre.
BY Charles Cheku Armah & Nii Adjei Mensahfio