Kumasi City Market Ltd addresses concerns of traders

The Managing Director of the Kumasi City Market Limited, Mr Kofi Duffuor has clarified that concerns raised on challenges affecting traders at the Kumasi Kejetia Market are true, however, the majority have been attended to with the rest in the process of completion to make transaction comforting at the venue.

Trade unions and stakeholders within the market amalgamated and channelled their grievances to the managers of the central market for solutions, and at a press conference on Wednesday, March 25, 2021, the General Manager updated on the progress of resolving the concerns of tenants.

“They indicated that the public address system service to market is not functioning and that management and the board have not responded to them," he told.

"They also revealed that the lifts in the market are inactive, and also spoke about cooking, and then the gas flow to serve their needs.

“Then also, leaky roofs was a matter that came up in their press release. Prior to that, it spoke about access routes to some parts of the market. And then the issue about extractors not functioning was the last of the matters.

“Indeed some of the issues raised are factual and have been dealt with.”

The Manager revealed that routes by means of the lifts to enhance movement in the facility have been fixed yet it has been designated for the physically challenged and for moving heavy loads to prevent quantifying abnormal bills for tenants.

"We have informed them that the lifts are working, so at least we are available for anybody who wants to use them. We only advise them at our meeting with them, that if we are to use the lifts for any other person that goes in we will run a very huge base in terms of energy power usage.

"And so, we are advised that its usage is limited to the physically challenged, and therefore the movement of goods, specifically to otherwise.

“There are over 10,000 traders if they are to use the lift a day. You and I can quantify the bill that will come to us to pay, and they will be the same people who come complaining to me.”

On the extractors, he told that “they are functional so you don't turn on the extractor when there is no need to.”

He asserted that in regards to the usage of the gas for the shops, and restaurants, there was a challenge associated with the valve but the Market has acquired some which will be installed for use by restaurant operators and other stakeholders.

“The valve came in on Saturday. Yesterday, we met with a contractor, and then the project, consultants, and came to inform us the valves are in.

"So before the end of this week, the valves will be installed, and that we will test run it for about a week after which all individual cylinders which are in the market will be redrawn. And then what was predicted and programmed for the market to receive as a means of getting fired for cook have been activated.”

He assured that every other challenge is been addressed and marketers must exercise patience.