The ‘Adwene Kwansohemaa’ of Kumasi Central Market, Nana Ampong has blamed the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for their failure to regulate the congestion created by traders in the center of the city.

Per the statement of the Head of Mudfish trade at Central Market, a lot of market women have abandoned the convenient ground offered by KMA since works begun at the demolished Central Market and opted to trade on streets and limited spaces, which has created excess in such a time of COVID-19 whiles the Assembly does nothing.

“Streets to central market is so thin to the extent that people struggle before gaining entry to and out of the place,” she told SoireeNews.

“I have witnessed it for myself. It is so because this is indeed the time for fish harvest and it is unfortunate to be witnessing it without observing the coronavirus protocols. Should anything happen, I will blame the KMA for failing its duties.

Nana Ampong maintained that non-compliant acts without proper correction from law enforcers would increase the spread of the virus in the Ashanti Region and she is not surprised at the rise in numbers.

“If the Ashanti Region is recording a lot of COVID-19 cases, I blame the KMA for not seeing that the health protocols are adhered to. There is enough space at the racecourse, which could resolve the crowding challenge ongoing at the Central Market and along streets.”

She narrated that when the demolition exercise led to the evacuation of some traders to racecourse, she acquired herself a portion of land under the permission of her leaders and started developing the place to accommodate fellows. Traders of the fish business welcome the idea and started sales until a tip-off was communicated that people have engaged in sales by the streets and inconvenient locations, with no chastening from the KMA.

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“I was given land to occupy with almost four hundred traders at racecourse. The mayor inspected the place and commended me for the effort in helping market women locate. All of a sudden, majority of the smoked fish sellers relocated to Central Market with a reason that the place is not marketable.

“I invested a lot in making the place look accepting with the support of other traders' contributions to creating the shelters at the market which is adequate to occupy people from distant places.

“Go to central market and witness, some are outside the main gate, by the streets, on the steps through Roman Hill and a lot. If KMA does not consider the value of their lives first and put things in order, the coronavirus numbers will rise.

She accused the KMA of failing to install the needed measures to make racecourse a lucrative place to transact business asserting that the decision taken by some traders to vacate the grounds to the city is because the location exposes them to robbers especially during the night.

“Although the traders complain that racecourse is not in a better state which makes their trade vulnerable yet it all boils down to KMA to acting right. I have informed them to install lights and put security measures in place yet they keep suspending every better thought. When this happens, it will rather make endanger the trade."