By Ewurabena Paha
Artisans at the arts centre in Accra say they will not obey directives by faceless people to evacuate the market to make way for the commencement of the marine drive project. The artisans at a news conference said they woke up to markings on their shops to vacate the premises they have occupied for over 40 years without notice from anyone.
Secretary of the Greater Accra Artisans Association, James Gumah Litey, said government should allocate them ten acres of the over 250-acre land size in order for them to continue a business that, he said, generates foreign income for the country and promotes tourism.
Mr Litey said the livelihoods of more than 400 people whose families depend on them would be affected if the government did not intervene. He said they have hinted that the land has been sold to an insurance company to execute the marine drive project and urged the company to consider the artisans, who remain an integral part of the tourism industry.
The artisans said they pay property rate to the Korley Clottey Municipal Assembly plus income tax to the Ghana Revenue Authority, so asking them to leave the place is a slap in the face, which is not fair.
The artisans, clad in red with placards with various pleas to government, urged the tourism ministry and the appropriate quarters to handle the matter with the urgency it deserves.
