KMA demolishes central market despite traders' resistance

Despite constant resistance by some traders at the Kumasi Central Market, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) together with the Regional Coordinating Council have begun a demolition exercise to pave way for the continuation of the second phase of the new Kejetia project.

Traders in areas earmarked for demolition at the Kumasi Central Market were earlier given up to midnight of Sunday, September 12, 2021, to vacate the place to allow the contractor working on Phase Two of the Kejetia Redevelopment Project entry to the site.

The affected traders were those who dealt in businesses such as jewellery, second-hand clothing, yam selling and poultry businesses etc. They earlier resisted their removal under the condition that they had not been given an alternative place.

 They said the KMA promised to give them places, yet the places had not been shown until their ultimatum.

"We haven't said we're not moving from this place but all that we want is to see the KMA give us an alternative place". The traders had earlier protested.

Before the demolition exercise, the KMA, the Contracta Construction UK company and journalists visited the place to witness the traders had removed all their items from the place. 

An observation made was that the traders had removed all their belongings from the place indicating their readiness for the action to take place.

Mr Emmanuel Danso, Public Liaison Officer and Consultant for the Contracta Construction UK Company limited speaking to Soireenews after the observation on Sunday evening, said the traders’ continued occupation of the area was delaying the project and could cause the country to forfeit the facility.

Speaking to the media in Kumasi, he said the traders had been allocated temporal spaces at the Racecourse and the Abinkyi markets and added that those who failed to move out of the Central Market before midnight's operation would have themselves to blame.

He however pleaded with the traders to corporate with the work of the Contracta Construction UK limited since they meant good things for Kumasi City.

The traders were initially given up to September 12, 2021, to vacate the place to allow Contracta Ltd access to continue the work.

Mr Danso additionally explained that due to the unavailability of space to move out all the traders for the contractor to work on the project, it was earlier decided that the traders moved in phases where zone one and two had already moved to the new Kejetia for zone three and four to move finally, and that's what had begun.

 Adding her voice, PRO for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Henrietta Afia Konadu Aboagye said it was never true that the traders had not been allocated alternative places.

She said the traders had been allocated to places like the Racecourse, Abinkyi market etc.

Nana Peprah, Ashanti Region