Residents of Nima, a suburb of Accra, say they will protect the Nima market from being demolished, even at the peril of their lives. An opinion leader in the vicinity is alleged to have sold the land on which the market is situated to an Accra based bank. Local government executives in the neighborhood were informed Saturday about the sale and the intention to construct a bank on the land. But the residents say they will resist any such attempt. Early Sunday, scores of residents besieged the market place after information filtered through that the demolishing was about to take place. Carl Lewis, the assembly member for Nima West who organised the residents told Joy News in an interview that “we are around waiting for them to come. They say they are going to mobilise themselves and come back. So we are waiting for them.” The market has been fenced with preparation underway for a demolishing. “When they came in they realized the community is very aggressive so they went saying they are going to mobilise and come back with land guards. We are just protecting the market. This is the only market we have in the market,” he said, adding, “we are prepared to defend the interest of the community.” Carl Lewis said they have presented a petition to the Greater Accra Regional Minister in order to look into the matter. He asked the new owners to reclaim their money because the land was not for sale. Police personnel have meanwhile been deployed to the area to maintain peace in the area. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana