Weeds, Reptiles, Wee Smokers And Commercial S3x Workers Take Over Stalled Kejetia-Central Market Redevelopment Project Amidst Tension

TENSION is seriously brewing in Kejetia-Central Market of the Ashanti Region following the agitation of thousands of traders in Kumasi Metropolis on the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for disappointing them.

They expressed disappointment in abandoning the second phase of the Kejetia-Central Market Redevelopment Project.

Fuming with anger, the traders threatened to vote against the governing New Patriotic Party NPP come 2024 general polls over stalled works on project.

The €248-million Kumasi Central Market Redevelopment project which commenced in 2021, and is being constructed by Messrs Contracta Construction Limited, UK, has been at a standstill since January 2023.

The site is getting weedy and dangerous reptiles including commercial sex workers and wee smokers taking over the project situated at the heart of the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi

The traders who are not happy with the current state of the project say they are organizing themselves to hit the streets with the biggest-ever protest in the region, against the government and all Members of Parliament who have the project in their catchment areas.

According to the traders, despite the ruling government’s claim of the Ashanti Region being its main stronghold, it continues to deny the region of major development projects.

The aggrieved traders say despite promises by the government to ensure work resumes after several petitions were channelled to the appropriate authorities, work is yet to resume.

The traders  in the stronghold of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region, express profound disappointment as the long-awaited market redevelopment project remains stalled.

The project which the government initially promised a timely completion, following a hurriedly evacuation to make way for the redevelopment, only to find themselves stranded when the project abruptly halted in December 2022.

In a press statement released to the Soireenews.com on Monday, April 8, 2024, the traders argued that amidst assurances of resumption upon the arrival of IMF funds, their hopes were dashed as the first and second tranches failed to revive the project. 

With the skeletal structure left unattended to, leaving the once bustling market site now overrun by weeds and reptiles, leaving traders struggling to find alternative spaces to conduct their businesses.

“Our quest to find out was brought to our attention by the government, that the project was halted due to the Debt Restructuring Programme, and that work will be resumed when the first tranche of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) money hit the accounts of the government”

“We patiently waited and despite the first and the second tranches hitting the government account, work has still not resumed, leaving the project to the mercy of the weather.

Currently, weeds and reptiles have taken over the project site as we struggle to get a place to ply our trade,” the statement said.

It continued that despite witnessing progress in projects across other regions post-IMF funds, the NPP government turned a blind eye to their plight.

 Indicating that many traders, dependent solely on market commerce, face economic hardships as they remain displaced, while some resort to street vending under harsh conditions.

The Kumasi Central Market traders unite in their disappointment, calling on the government to prioritize the completion of 

the redevelopment project, which not only sustains their livelihoods but also serves as a vital economic hub for the region.

“We feel utterly disappointed in the NPP government for ignoring and neglecting such a huge market complex that feeds many traders who have but only depend on market business to make ends meet.”

These aggrieved traders said by this release, sending a signal to the NPP government that “we, the traders in the Ashanti region are vigilant this time round, and they cannot fool or deceive us and later come back to canvas for our votes as the December general elections are approaching.”

The NPP government must better do the needful before the day of reckoning comes, the traders warned

Read the traders full statement below:

PRESS RELEASE

8th April, 2024

THE KUMASI CENTRAL MARKET AND SECOND HAND CLOTHES TRADERS UNION TO EMBARK ON FIVE DAYS OF CONTINUED DEMONSTRATION OVER THE ABANDONED KUMASI CENTRAL MARKET REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

We, the Kumasi Central Market Traders and second hand clothes Union in the strongest hold of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ashanti region, would like to express our utmost disappointment in the government for abandoning the Kumasi Central Market Redevelopment Project.

During the evacuation exercise to pave the way for the commencement of the project, the government made us believe that the project would be completed on time to enable us to return to our business.

However, in December 2022, the project came to a halt for unknown reasons when the Brazilian Construction Firm, Contracta, suddenly sacked all its workers, leaving the skeleton of the structure on the site.

Our quest to find out was brought to our attention by the government, that the project was halted due to the Debt Restructuring Programme, and that work will be resumed when the first tranche of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) money hit the accounts of the government.

We patiently waited and despite the first and the second tranches hitting the government account, work has still not resumed, leaving the project to the mercy of the weather.

Currently, weeds and reptiles have taken over the project site as we struggle to get a place to ply our trade.

It has come to our notice that many projects in other regions have begun and others completed after the first and second tranches of the IMF money hit the government account, but the NPP government has remained unconcerned and turned its back on the region that gives them power and has abandoned our market

We feel utterly disappointed in the NPP government for ignoring and neglecting such a huge market complex that feeds many traders who have but only depend on market business to make ends meet.

Many of our members who were evacuated from the market are still at home suffering because they do not have anywhere to ply their trade while others have taken over the streets of the Central Business District in an attempt to make ends meet under the scorching sun.

We have, therefore, exhausted our patience and have resolved to embark on five days of continued demonstrations to press home our demand for work to resume on the project.

During the protest, we will picket and remove all the barricades on the project, and after the days of demonstrations and nothing is being heard, we will storm the incomplete market site with our goods and commodities to trade and nothing can stop us.

It is worthy of note that we are currently in talks with the Ghana Police Service, to secure permission to embark on the demonstration as permitted by Article 21(1d) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

We are, therefore, sending a signal to the NPP government that we, the traders in the Ashanti region are vigilant this time round, and they cannot fool or deceive us and later come back to canvas for our votes as the December general elections are approaching.

The NPP government must better do the needful before the day of reckoning comes.

END.

Signed

Joseph Marfo

(Secretary, second hand clothes sellers Association.

Agya Owusu

(Operations, Second hand clothes sellers Association

Filip Gyau Oboana

(Central Market)

Maame Brayie

(Central Market)