Kumasi traders storm court to stop Central market project

A GROUP of aggrieved traders have appealed to a Kumasi High Court to place an injunction on the ongoing Kumasi Central Market Redevelopment project.

The angry traders, last week, filed a motion in court, seeking an injunction on any further development of the government project, which was started recently after a rather long wait due to paper work and bureaucracy associated with government proejcts.

The New Publisher has gathered that traders who filed the writ all belong to the Kumasi City Market Traders Union and they represent a little over a thousand traders in the city, who ply their trade in the Kumasi Central Market.

The traders headed to court ostensibly to stop the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) from what they described as improper relocation.

Some of them say their parents and grandparents have occupied their current market slots for over seven decades and passed it on to them from generation to generation as a key means of livelihood.

Therefore it is unfair to simply evict them and say they would be relocated somewhere without any form of evidenced based assurance from the KMA that they would be given their shops back when the project is eventually completed.

The KMA Public Relations Officer (PRO), Henrietta Aboagye, has told the paper that the Authority has been served with the writ of summons and that the court is expected to sit on the case on April 1, 2021.

Henrita Aboagye noted that the plaintiff’s motion for an injunction on the Central Market project would either be granted or rejected by the court on the aforementioned date.

The PRO said the KMA has given the matter to its lawyers to study in order to take the appropriate action, adding that the traders only sued the KMA.

In May 2019, President Akufo-Addo and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II cut the sod for construction works to begin on the Kumasi Central Market Redevelopment Project, which is said to be the largest in the West African sub-region.

The project was expected to be completed in 48 months time after the commencement of work. Work eventually commenced in February this year.

Contracta Construction UK Limited was engaged by the government to construct the project, which would boast of 10,000 stores, police station, fire station, restaurants and other modern amenities.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, during the sod cutting ceremony, stated that the construction of the Kumasi Central Market Redevelopment Project is an ample proof that his New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration loves development.

He said the NPP promised to embark on a rigorous infrastructural development in order to better the lives of the people, ahead of the 2016 national elections, saying “I am delivering on my promises”.

Then in February this year, works officially started on the much-talked-about Kumasi Central Market reconstruction project.

Contractors were seen on site pulling down structures to commence construction works.

Traders that would be directly affected by the construction works were relocated peaceful by Authorities.

The huge edifice is expected to be completed in two years and six months time, barring any last minute hitch.

The KMA managed to relocate the affected traders to pave way for the project.

Emmanuel Danso, Liaison Officer of the contractors, said the traders were relocated to Kejetia, Abinkyi and Race Course.

He said everything that is needed for the project to be delivered on time have been provided by the contractors.

According to him, the contractors would need the support of all-and-sundry to finish the project on the agreed time.