Share this
“We Won’t Move”Suame Magazine Artisans Rise Against Alleged Private Eviction Plot
Source: Justice Baffour Awuah// managing editor,www.dailywatchgh.com(0246930931)
A wave of anger swept through the Suame Magazine industrial enclave in the Ashanti Region as hundreds of artisans poured onto the streets to protest what they describe as a secret attempt by a private developer to forcefully evict them from their long-occupied workspace.
The affected group, located within Zone 13, fear the alleged takeover will cripple their businesses and destroy decades of labour and investment.
According to the demonstrators, news of the supposed displacement has sparked confusion and anxiety, with many mechanics, welders, and metal fabricators insisting they have legitimate claim to the land they have worked on since 1989.
In interviews with media practitioners in Kumasi, the artisans revealed that when they contacted the Tafo Traditional Council, leaders there reportedly stated that no parcel of land within the area had been sold to any private developer, intensifying suspicion around the attempt to relocate them.
The protestors, visibly frustrated, chanted and carried placards while vowing to defy any effort that seeks to eject them without due process.
Many fear the alleged eviction is an attempt to capitalize on Suame Magazine’s prime location-one of Ghana’s largest vehicle and fabrication hubs,without consideration for the thousands of workers and families who rely on the enclave for survival.
They warned that the move, if not halted, could trigger widespread unemployment, disrupt local commerce, and cripple a crucial industrial zone well-known for training skilled youth and providing affordable technical services.
The standoff highlights the growing tension between traditional economic zones and rapid urban development, raising critical questions about land ownership transparency, community rights, and the future of informal industry spaces in Ghana.
For now, the artisans are holding their ground, calling on authorities to intervene swiftly to protect their livelihoods and prevent what they describe as an “unlawful seizure of working space.”
Credit:Kwame Yeboah
