Sekyedumase Community Bank sues Asokore Mampong Assembly over demolition for 24-hour economy market

A legal battle has erupted between the Sekyedumase Community Bank and the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region, following the alleged unlawful demolition of the bank's building to make way for a 24-hour economy market. The bank has been in the Aboabo community for decades and is now operating from a temporary location after its building was demolished along with other structures in the area.

The demolition took place on Monday by a security force from the Asokore Mampong Assembly as part of preparations for the municipality's new market project. The bank claims it had been negotiating with the Assembly over the redevelopment of the land for several months, but their concerns were not addressed, leading them to seek legal action over the land they believe they own.

The bank's management, Dr Dickson Osei Assibey, said the bank had been in the same location for over 33 years and had built the structure with its own resources. He added that the bank had been open to discussion and believed its facility could be incorporated into the new market development, but their proposal was not given fair consideration.

The bank's CEO, Afriyie Michael Kwabena, said the demolition resulted in the destruction of assets worth millions of Ghanaian cedis, while preserving the bank's digital customer data. Both parties are working to secure an alternative location for the bank to continue its operations, and the legal dispute is expected to continue in court, with a hearing scheduled for October.