Central Market traders disappointed in KMA's approach towards evacuation
Sellers at Kumasi Central have also accused their leaders of conniving with the Assembly to put them through such a situation of abandonment without developed grounds for business.
soireenews 
Traders at the Kumasi Central Market have expressed disappointment in the manner in which the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly is handling their migration from the grounds to start pending construction works.
The Ashanti Regional Minister-Designate, Simon Osei-Mensah in a press conference on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, warned sellers to move to the Afia Kobi Market at Abinkyi to enable the contractor to start the second phase of the Kumasi Kejetia-Central Market redevelopment project.
He further cautioned that traders would have themselves to blame if their goods are destroyed for a rebuttal to move after the cutoff date.
According to a section of second-hand clothing sellers, they are saddened by the approach of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Regional Minister for the abrupt removal without a ready ground to settle to make ends meet. They believe the method of evacuation was inhuman and are calling on the government to responsible for their safe movement through acquiring them grounds suitable for their business.
They have also accused their leaders of abandoning them after grabbing comfortable grounds and left them friendless with nowhere to function.
“I have not received any allocation papers as they promised. We have been to the Afia Kobi Market as they implied and to be honest, nothing shows that the place has been prepared to welcome trade,” Akua Felicia, a second-hand cloth seller told SoireeNews on Monday morning.
“I have packed my stuff as they demanded of us yet where to settle and start business is the challenge. We are pleading to them to make available a suitable place for us,” she added.
When asked whether they have spoken to their leadership about the situation, she told that “we have not spotted any leader around.”
“At least the leader should have transacted matters on our behalf before it gets to this stage but as I am speaking with you, no front runner has been defined. We are of our own hoping things will be better. The leaders have grabbed comfortable stores and have abandoned us. We have been to Abinkyi yet nothing seems established for us to start selling,” she added.
Others also made known that they have been to race course to review the place following the deadline given by the Regional Minister yet they were met with threats and curses for the reason that spaces that have been left are been possessed by other traders and not apportioned sites for second-hand clothes sellers.
“We have no place to sell. The government is rather encouraging theft by trying to take our food from the table. Our leaders have lied to us and we are very disappointed,” a former watchman of central market Fossline told SoireeNews.
“We went to race course and were threatened with curses if we grab spaces belonging to others. I love my life and do not want to be a victim so I am appealing to the Assembly to come again because their decision is uncomplimentary.”
