Ponyentanga Displaced Residents Demand Compensation and Livelihood Support Following Market Project Demolition

The Ponyentanga Displaced Residents Association in Wa West District has called for urgent compensation and livelihood assistance, three months after their homes were demolished to make way for a 24-hour market project in the community.

At a press conference on Sunday, August 30, 2026, the Association’s Secretary, George Kancheon, disclosed that over 14 households were affected by the demolition carried out on May 19, 2026. While expressing gratitude to traditional leaders for providing land and to the Member of Parliament for Wa West for securing individual plots for the displaced families, the Association emphasized that land allocation alone does not complete the recovery process. Key issues such as compensation, documentation, and livelihood restoration remain unresolved.

The Association raised critical questions for authorities, including who authorized the demolition, the directive under which it was carried out, details of land acquisition for the project, assessments made on compensation, support provided to affected households, and whether the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has been formally notified.

Demanding a formal response and a clear compensation and recovery plan within 14 days, the group stressed a preference for dialogue and administrative resolution. However, it warned that failure to receive a meaningful response would prompt escalation through formal petitions to the President, Speaker of Parliament, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and Legal Aid Ghana.

In response, the Wa West District Chief Executive, Richard Wullo, urged calm and assured displaced residents that the assembly is actively working to support them in rebuilding their lives.