Stakeholders have urged urgent relocation of squatters and drug peddlers, and addicts invading and turning the Nana Bosoma Central Market enclave in the Sunyani Municipality into a slum.

They said the influx of the squatters around the market enclave had polarized and affected the security of the area, with criminal activities including robberies, drug peddling and petty theft gaining roots in the central market area.

The stakeholders comprised representatives from the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana Health Service (GHS), National Youth Authority (NYA) and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) at a meeting in Sunyani.

Others include the Department of Social Welfare, Gender Department, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), as well as representatives of the Sunyani East and Sunyani West Municipal Assemblies and social society actors and organizations.

The Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), a Sunyani-based human rights, anti-corruption, and media advocacy Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) and its partners brought the stakeholders together to identify concerns and problems inimical to the growth and development of adolescents.

Those concerns will be captured into the medium-term development plans of the Sunyani East and Sunyani West Municipal Assemblies.

It was in line with the “Resilient City for Adolescents (RCA)” project, being implemented by the GloMeF in collaboration with the Women Empowerment Network and Citizens Watch Ghana, both local NGOs.

The Swiss Bortnar Fondation is funding the 300,000-pounds sterling project which seeks to improve adolescent lives.

According to the stakeholders the situation at the central market was disturbing because the enclave was now a haven for wayward adolescent boys and girls who indulged in all forms of criminal activities including commercial sex work.

Mrs Yaa Kumi Yeboah, the Head of Supervision at the Sunyani Municipal Directorate of Education expressed concern about rising teenage pregnancies and adolescent substance abuse impeding girl-child education.

She called on the two Municipal Assemblies and security operatives to do more and to bring the situation under control.

Describing the situation as worrying, Mr Alhassan Nabila, the Accountant at the Bono Regional Office of the NYA, urged the Sunyani Municipal Assembly to take a firm decision, and clamp down on the criminal activities around the market.

Mr Samuel Appiah Frimpong, the Sunyani Municipal Chairperson of the Ghana Federation of PwDs also called on the two assemblies to facilitate the prompt release of the PwDs share of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).

That, he added, would enable the federation to do more and empower the PwDs to live decent lives.

Among other objectives, Mr Edward Ayabilah, the Programme Manager of GloMeF, said the RCA project implementation sought to promote active citizens participation in the local government system and to promote adolescent lives.

During a follow up visit to the central market, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) noticed that several drinking bars, and pockets of smoking joints had sprang-up around the enclave.

Some residents around the neighbourhood informed the GNA about the illegal social activities that went on around the market at night.

It was also noticed that the market enclave was gradually turning into a slum, squatters, including teenage mothers and drug addicts occupied dilapidated structures. Others also slept in front of stores

The GNA learnt that some of the squatters, including teenagers, also used those structures as brothels for commercial sex activities, especially during weekends.

They also trapped and robbed traders and market women, collecting their monies, mobile phones and personal belongings at night.

Those criminal activities are always rife on Tuesday nights, as the unsuspecting victims arrive at the market to prepare for market activities on Wednesdays, which are the main market days.

Some of the residents around, also called on the city authorities to intervene and disband the pockets of Indian hemp smoking and peddling joints around.

An attendant at one of the local drinking bars, speaking to the GNA on condition of anonymity, said sales were always good at the weekends saying, many adolescent boys and girls visited the enclave for drinks.