Barekesse Youth Threaten Dump Site Blockade Over Alleged Denial of 24-Hour Market
Youth in Barekesse, the district capital of Atwima Nwabiagya North in the Ashanti Region, have issued a stark ultimatum to local authorities: if the community is denied a promised 24-hour market, they will block the district’s refuse dump site from receiving any more waste.
The threat, delivered at a press conference by Ernest Kwadwo Adusei, Leader of the Barekesse Youth Association, follows reports that District Chief Executive Mba Zakaria is set to cut sod for the market project in the neighbouring town of Asuofua on Tuesday — a decision the youth say betrays earlier commitments made to their community.
Broken Promises
According to the youth, traditional leaders in Barekesse had already allocated a suitable parcel of land for the 24-hour market project, and the community had been given explicit assurances during an engagement with the DCE that the facility would be sited in their town.
“We received information that, God willing, there will be a sod-cutting for the 24-hour market project at Asuofua on Tuesday. We are worried about this because the authorities came here, inspected the site meant for the project, provided us with documents, and gave us assurances,” Adusei told the press conference.
The youth expressed particular frustration at the silence from the Ashanti Regional Minister, NDC Regional Executives, and the DCE following a petition they submitted on the matter. They believe the decision to relocate the project was made without consultation or explanation.
A Calculated Leverage
The threat to block the dump site is a deliberate one. Barekesse hosts the district’s refuse disposal facility, and the youth argue that if the community is not deemed worthy of receiving the economic benefits of a major market project, it should not be expected to bear the environmental burden of hosting the district’s waste.
“For that reason, we are telling the Assembly that after the sod-cutting on Tuesday, every community in this district has land, so they should not bring waste from elsewhere to dump at our community’s refuse site,” Adusei warned. “If Barekesse, the district capital, does not deserve a 24-hour market, then we should not bear the burden of the district’s waste.”
He also questioned the logic of siting the market in Asuofua, a town he pointed out already has three markets, while Barekesse — the district capital — has none of comparable scale.
Wider Implications
Traders in Barekesse have added their voices to the protest, saying the 24-hour market was expected to create jobs and stimulate business activity in an area that has long sought greater economic investment. The District Assembly is yet to respond publicly to the youth’s demands or address the allegations of broken promises.
The standoff raises broader questions about how district assemblies manage community expectations and distribute development projects. When promises are made and apparently reversed without explanation, the resulting frustration can quickly escalate, as the Barekesse situation demonstrates.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
