‘You lied to the people’ – Ex-minister, Accra Mayor clash over Konkomba market demolition plans

Former Defence Minister and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, has engaged in a heated disagreement with Mayor of Accra Michael Kpakpo Allotey over plans to demolish parts of the Konkomba Yam Market at Agbogbloshie. The affected section is expected to make way for a new market under the government’s proposed 24-hour economy initiative. Dominic Nitiwul has raised concerns about what he considers the disproportionate focus on the portion of the market predominantly occupied by Konkomba traders, arguing that other sections of the market have not been subjected to similar action. However, Kpakpo Allotey has rejected claims that the Konkomba community is being deliberately targeted. Speaking on Joy FM on September 16, 2026, the Accra Mayor said he had personally visited the market more than 15 times before the 24-hour market project was conceived and had been directly involved in identifying and marking areas intended for redevelopment. Kpakpo Allotey also disputed Nitiwul’s description of the consultation process, accusing the former Defence Minister of giving the public a misleading account of events surrounding the planned redevelopment. “I don’t sit in the office, I am not an office mayor, I don’t wear political suit. I am always on the ground, I know what I am about, I know what I am saying, I don’t give fake news, I don’t deceive people,” Accra Mayor said. 'Gibberish!' - Netizens tear into Bimbilla MP over 'politically suicidal' demolition remarks Kpakpo Allotey further insisted that the government, under President John Dramani Mahama, had been working to improve conditions for traders within the Konkomba community. According to him, the proposed redevelopment should not be interpreted as an attempt to remove or discriminate against Konkomba traders but rather as part of efforts to develop the area and improve trading conditions. Nitiwul, however, maintained that his intervention was aimed at protecting the livelihoods of traders and the interests of yam farmers who depend heavily on the market. The former Defence Minister argued that the Konkomba Yam Market serves a large number of consumers across the country and provides a major outlet for yam producers, including farmers from his Bimbilla constituency. “In the case of the kokomba market, my people are the people of Ghana, the million people who buy yam at the kokomba yam market. 3-4 million yam are sold daily at the konkomba yam market, so I represent those people. I also represent the yam producers from my own constituency; 90% of the yam producers are from my constituency so I represent them and I speak for them,” he said. The disagreement has also centred on whether the appropriate representatives of the market had been adequately consulted before plans for the redevelopment were communicated. Nitiwul claimed that Allotey met with leaders of the Konkomba Yam Market on July 28 and showed them markings and drawings outlining the proposed development. According to him, the traders told the mayor that the meeting was their first direct engagement with them concerning the project. He further claimed that earlier engagements had been held with individuals whom the traders did not recognise as their legitimate representatives. Kpakpo Allotey strongly rejected that account and accused the Bimbilla MP of giving conflicting accounts about the consultation process. “You lied to the people. I have not met them as at that time; you told them we just woke up and we decided to do this work. You lied to the people and you have to apologise,” he said. Dominic Nitiwul and Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey engaged in a heated exchange on #TopStory over Nitiwul’s allegation that the AMA is targeting the Konkomba community. Nitiwul offered to show the marked areas, while Allotey raised concerns about possible incitement. GBA president 'attacks' Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie at 2026 Bar Conference Over SOE Comments Source: GhanaWeb (https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/You-lied-to-the-people-Ex-minister-Accra-Mayor-clash-over-Konkomba-market-demolition-plans-2052566)