The Odawna-Novotel Market Traders Association has petitioned the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs over what they describe as an unlawful attempt by some officials of the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly to take over the management of their market.
In a petition addressed to the sector minister, Ahmed Ibrahim and signed by the association’s chairperson, Madam Bernice Otoo, the traders accused the Municipal Chief Executive, Alfred Ato Gaisie, the NADMO Coordinator and constituency organiser, Kinnah, and Mr. Charles Gben, special aide to the MCE and operations manager for the Member of Parliament, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, of arrogantly informing them that the ministry had handed over full control of the market to them.
According to the petition, the confrontation happened on August 29, 2025, when the three officials stormed the market and announced that all operations would now fall under their authority.
The traders expressed shock at the development, claiming they had not been officially informed of such a decision. They further alleged that the officials planned to reassign key facilities in the market, including the nursery school and toilet, to their associates.
Tracing the history of the Odawna-Novotel Market, the association recounted that they were relocated in 2010 under the late President John Evans Atta Mills following a series of protests and negotiations. In 2017, the Ministry of Local Government and the Accra Metropolitan Authority approved renovation works, which were completed before the establishment of the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly in 2019.
The traders stressed that they had managed the market for years and insisted that the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462), does not empower MCEs, NADMO coordinators, or aides to MPs to directly run the daily operations of markets.
“We are law-abiding citizens and committed to supporting government programmes. However, we believe that the role of the MCE is limited to revenue collection, sanitation supervision, and oversight responsibilities, not direct market management,” the petition read.
The association appealed to the minister to intervene and “call the MCE and others to order” to prevent what they described as an unlawful takeover.
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