A 24-hour wee market has started full-time operation at Ho, the Volta Regional Capital.
The market, which has attracted all kinds of drug dealers, users and investors to the regional capital, has for the past five months, made very high returns.
The booming Ho drug market which some have described as the fastest growing drug enclave in the country, is located within the Anlokordzi area spreading to the Kpaco House, the location where a young man was killed last June during a dawn swoop.
The heart of the wee market is believed to be behind the Metro Mass Transport Terminal and its tremendous progress is believed to have been the byproduct of the June 10, 2012 shooting incident which saw the death of one Atsu Mensah.
The operations of the drug market and major actors, residents complained, had affected their health, security and social life. Others have also been affected by the excesses of the market including robbery, attacks and assaults.
Last Saturday, the operations of the wee market were scuttled when the Volta Regional Police Command conducted a dawn swoop in the area.
The Regional Police Commander, Mr Alex Bedie, noted that out of the many dealers and peddlers, only 20 were arrested including a female and a physically-challenged man.
He explained that the Police had several reports that wee peddling had resumed in full swing after the shooting incident last year June.
As a result, the police conducted their own investigations which revealed that “a 24-hour complete wee market” was operating in the regional capital.
DCOP Bedie noted that the residents had been taken hostage by the activities of the wee peddlers and users to the extent that every available space in the vicinity had been taken over.
He said some could not even open their windows due to the wee smoke, and the fear of being robbed.
He recounted the complaint of a resident who proved that she and her family had been told by doctors that they were wee smokers after they had been tested over some health problems.
Apparently, the amount of smoke emitted through the activities of the wee market had made them passive smokers, hence affecting their eyes and lungs.
The police boss said “these people have taken over the whole area with no normal, peaceful, human activity apart from their nefarious activities.”
He said a profile would be conducted on each suspect arrested for a thorough investigation to bring the peddlers, users and lead actors of the wee market to book.
DCOP Bedie also assured residents that the Police would ensure that their homes were not turned into drug hideouts and shops.
Source: GhanaWeb
