About 80% of automobile traders operating at Abosey Okai in the Greater Accra Region are ready to relocate to Afienya due to congestion.
The Co-Chairman of the Abossey Okai Spare Part Dealers Association, Mr. Clement Boateng made this known in an interview with the Republic Press last Tuesday October 26, 2021, in response to the earlier pronouncement by the Greater Accra Regional Minister.
Mr. Boateng said, the decision to relocate from Abossey Okai is not a political decision but rather the association suggested to the President Nana Akufo-Addo during his tour in the Greater Accra Region leading to the 2020 general elections.
He said the plan to relocate from Abosey Okai, dated back to former President Kufour’s era where a land was acquired at Labadi around the Zenith University area but the Executives failed to follow it up, the same came out during former President Mahama’s era.
“A land was demarcated and given to us around the new Pokuase Interchange area but again there wasn’t any proper follow-up and the vision was abandoned. But this time we are serious and ready to move if only the place is ready.” He noted
“So when Mr. Henry Quartey took over as the Greater Accra Regional Minister, he met with us and said as part of the plans to decongest the capital city, the relocation plan would be initiated,” he stated.
He added that the last meeting the executives had with Mr. Quartey and his team about the relocation, there was an assurance that a 1000 acre-land is being secured at Afienya to be developed into an ultramodern automobile hub which would include; shops, automobile workshops centers, hospital, school and supermarket.
“I want to state it categorically that it is not the Akufo-Addo government that wants us to relocate but it is the executives of the association who suggested to the President base on the traffic congestion and many other debilitating factors. No government can ask as to move forcefully because the land in question is not a government land,” Mr. Boateng stated.
The co-chairman said as part of the bigger plan of the relocation, all car sellers would be moved there, there will be a railway lines that would connect from the habour, a well-constructed estate would also be built to house customers who will visit the place to trade, again the association will also partner with either the government or the private sector to establish a factory that can manufacture common spare parts to feed the Ghana market and the rest of Africa.
“Our priority now is to secure the documentation of the land then we are good to go,” he stated.
Mr. Boateng added that one other factor that is pushing them to champion the relocation has to do with the issue of security as members complain of break inns by thieves.
“So if we get a well-planned area with the place under lock like the Nigerian story, who moved their automobile traders from the old place to their current center where they can regulate and maintain law and order,” he stated.
