The Kumasi Central Market Traders and Secondhand clothes Union have expressed their 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 them believe that the project would be completed on time to enable them to return to their 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.
According to the traders, they were told 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.
Traders 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.
Speaking on Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9fm in Kumasi with Aduanaba Kofi Asante, traders were disappointed about the delay of the project.
“Currently, weeds and reptiles have taken over the project site as traders 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”, their spokesperson said.
During the five-day protest, traders will picket and remove all the barricades on the project. After the demonstration, if nothing is heard, they will storm the uncompleted market site with their goods and commodities to trade.
Source:Fiilafmonline/3News
