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The Kumasi central market traders today in a press conference to expressed their disappointment in Acting major of Kumasi metropolitan Assembly Hon Osei Assibey Antwi and Ashanti regional minister Hon Simon Osei mensah for not been given a place to evacuated them. They said until the city authorities will give them proper place , they have no place to go.
Nana Yaa Foowaa, Bayerehemaa of the
Kumasi Market Association has furiously responded to the demand of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council declaring their stance on the evacuation notice served them.
The traders have emphatically stated that until a place is defined for their trade by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, they are not moving an inch out of Central Market. They have further cautioned Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to intervene in the decision of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah else they will pour out their wrath.
The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council on Monday released a statement given remaining traders at the Central Market until Monday, September 12, 2021, for demolition to takes place to pave way for the Central Market Redevelopment Project.
The traders have heatedly refuted the claims of the Kumasi City authorities exposing that they have not been given a place to relocate so until the authorities do so, they have nowhere to go.
“We were informed of the redevelopment project of the Central Market and we were very happy at the situation,” Secretary, Kumasi Markets Association, Nana Wiafe told the media whiles during a press conference at the Central Market on Thursday, September 9, 2021.
“They told us that the evacuation will be in four phases and until the first and second phase is built, the fourth phase wouldn’t affect some of the traders. Others were moved to places provided for them but because we were earlier ruled out of the relocation, we stayed here comfortably waiting for the job to be completed.
“The KMA boss later reported that the contractor has changed plans saying he will break down all the structures to be able to work on the market. They organized all the market queen mothers and preparation were made for the migration to racecourse.
“In fact, there is a lot to be done to make racecourse suitable for us yet they want to compel us out and break down the market on Monday thereby forcibly evacuating all traders which we think is unfair.
They asserted that the KMA Mayor, Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi and the Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah has disrespected them by using abusive gestures at them, a situation which is underserved and uncalled for therefore if Nana Addo do not replace them, they (traders) will advice themselves.
“The Regional minister invited the traders for a talk which we thought was about how to peacefully find a place to relocate but it turned out to be a covid-19 talk.
“Hon Simon Osei Mensah was later consulted about the market but he walked out on our mothers for raising the issue of the market, meaning he is not concerned about their welfare, which is questionable as a leader. NPP is all about these women and so if the party will use them and later treat them like this, tomorrow is just another day.
“Our mothers have campaigned for the government and if traders in Accra who were evacuated are given fair treatment and our mothers will be disrespected by the Regional Minister, then we will spit blood for the NPP to know how serious we are.
Bayerehemaa (Queen-mother of Yam), Nana Yaa Foowaa disclosed to Media that the leaders have employed foul means to taint the image of the remaining traders at the Central Market to win favour from Ghanaians. According to her, the KMA and RCC go from one radio station to another deceiving the masses that traders have been provided with a place to move and they have failed to.
She has refuted all those claims and cautioned that until a suitable place is given, traders will move nowhere and are willing to match the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council boot for boot if they are forcibly shut out of the Central Market.
“If we knew we are inclusive, the spaces given to fish sellers at racecourse would have been managed for us also,” she said.
“They are going from radio to radio lying to the public that they have provided me a place. It’s never true, why should they lie. We have gone for loans from the government to mend our trade and yet they are want to liquidate our capital. We cannot go through these torments. Nana Akufo Addo should know that his leaders have disappointed us very well. If they fail to provide us a place, we are not moving.”
Some of the traders expressed displeasure in the New Patriotic Party and warned that should the maltreatment from officials towards traders continue, the NPP will regret it in three years’ time.
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