Central market equipment ‘rot’ at port

SOME IMPORTED equipment supposed to be used for the construction of the Kumasi Central Market project are still being kept at the port, months after arriving in the country.

This has happened because the contractor in charge of the project does not have enough space to keep the huge metals and other materials at the construction site.

Scores of traders occupying spaces in the ancient market have refused to vacate the place in order to give space to the contractor to store their equipments.

As a result of this unpleasant development, despite the sod cutting ceremony for the project taking place more than two years ago, the project is still hanging.

Checks made by THE NEW PUBLISHER revealed that the contractor’s consistent request for more space to carry out their work has fallen on deaf ears, so far.

Some recalcitrant traders have refused to relocate to another place in the city for the project to progress as the equipment’s faces demurrage at the port.

Minister Angry

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has expressed anger over the behaviour of the recalcitrant traders, vowing to take action.

According to him, he would make sure that before the morning of Monday, September 13, 2021, all the traders would have been moved away from the market.

Osei Mensah, speaking in an interview with Kofi Asante of Akoma FM, stated that he would not look on unconcerned for the market project to be delayed unduly.

The minister stated that the market, when completed, would greatly improve businesses in Kumasi and benefit the entire citizenry, especially the traders.

“I will prefer to be insulted for using force to relocate the traders for the market to be constructed than to watch for the project to be stalled and be insulted later on”.

Osei Mensah, however, appealed to the traders to relocate from the market before the morning of Monday so there wouldn’t be any need to use force to expel them.