Foss sellers hold unto land, Yam and Tomato sellers to be relocated

The Second-hand clothing sellers have been passed back their land meant to accommodate them at the Kumasi Racecourse for trade.

According to the President Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Honorable Stephen Ofori, they were first to be served the grounds by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Honorable Simon Osei Mensah therefore no amount of persuasion from the Kumasi Markets Association can change their minds.

He assured that new ground has been acquired and works are ongoing to hold the Markets Association which comprises Yam, Tomato and Smoked fish sellers.

“The Regional Minister personally acquired the place for the Foss line Sellers so we cannot disregard his words. We are trying to locate a place for the Yam sellers and move them. Where they currently are is already in possession of the foss sellers and it's theirs to settle on,” he said.

A team of police personnel on Wednesday, September 16, 2021, were deployed to the Kumasi Racecourse market in the Kumasi Metropolis to resolve a fierce clash between the Kumasi Markets Association and Second-hand clothing sellers over a piece of land for business.

The trading ground was secured by the foss sellers from Honorable Simon Mensah following their evacuation from the Central Market to allow the continuation of the Redevelopment Project Phase III and IV. After hiring a grader to level the grounds and make it conducive for business, the Kumasi Market Association hastily occupied it under the authority of the KMA.

Matters were settled between the two and the grounds has been made available to the second-hand cloth sellers.

“Leadership is about implementing decisions and that is what we are looking forward to doing,” the presiding member said.

“We cannot satisfy everybody because that will end up satisfying nobody. What is required of us is to provide them (Yam, Fish and Tomato sellers) a place conducive for business and that is their challenge. When this is done, they will be satisfied.

“The foss sellers have worked on the land and the Assembly will pay any cost incurred just as we are about to work on the new grounds meant for the Kumasi Markets Association. The situation is a compromise one and we are working hard to satisfy them. They should manage because this place is temporal. When the Central Market project is complete, they can return to their beneficial place and commence trade.

He assured that new ground is under construction after talks with the VIP Transport Union leaders at race course to provide them a section of their land for business.

“So far we are speaking to the VIP Union executives to give us some of their lands. We are waiting for the contractor to start preparing the place and make it better for business to enable us to move the Yam and Tomato sellers here."

The Public Relations Officer of the Second Hand Cloth Sellers Association, Mr Michael Amponsah commended the KMA for rightly managing matters for peace to exist between the two parties. He told that KMA has “pleaded unto us to give them today to prepare different grounds for the Yam sellers before we can finally settle on our space and resume works.”