The recent eviction carried out by the Ivorian government in the scrap dealers’ district of Anoumabo, in Koumassi, sparked a lively controversy in Abidjan. The residents, warned at the last minute, were forced to leave their workshops and homes in record time. Images of excavators destroying precarious constructions have made the rounds on social networks, arousing the indignation of many Internet users.
Faced with this situation, civil society mobilized to defend the rights of those displaced. Pulchérie Gbalet, a committed activist, denounces support measures deemed insufficient by the majority of those concerned. Indeed, the compensation proposed by the government would not allow those displaced to find decent rehousing in the Ivorian capital.
The coalition of NGOs founded by Pulchérie Gbalet has started a census of affected populations in order to help them request fair compensation and exercise their rights in court. The situation of the Anoumabo scrap dealers is emblematic of this problem, as they try to salvage what they can from the debris left by government bulldozers.
This debate raises essential questions about urbanization policy in Abidjan and the consideration of the most vulnerable populations in these processes. It highlights the issues of access to decent housing and dignity for all. While waiting to see how the situation develops, it is important to remain attentive to the social and human consequences of these brutal evictions.