Kumasi central market traders threaten five-day protest over abandoned project

The Kumasi Central Market Traders and Second Hand Clothes Union have threatened a five-day demonstration concerning the abandoned Kumasi market project.

In a statement released on Monday, April 8, 2024, the Union expressed profound disappointment at the government’s project management.

According to the union, the government had assured completion of the project to facilitate the continuation of their business operations during the evacuation process.

However, the project abruptly stopped in December 2022 when the Brazilian Construction Firm terminated all its workers, leaving the structure unfinished at the site.

The statement underscored the union’s frustration with the government’s explanations for the stalled project, attributing the delay to the Debt Restructuring Programme.

Despite the government receiving the first and second tranches of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) work on the market project remains stagnant, leaving the structure vulnerable to deterioration.

With weeds and reptiles now dominating the site, traders are grappling with finding alternative spaces to conduct their businesses.

Evacuated union members continue to face hardships, with some resorting to street vending in the Central Business District to sustain themselves. They plan to stage protests and remove barriers from the project site during the demonstration.

The union has vowed to venture into the incomplete market site with their goods and commodities for trading if their demands remain unmet.

Furthermore, the union has indicated ongoing discussions with the Ghana Police Service to secure permission for the demonstration, as Article 21(1d) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana provides.

Additionally, they have sent a clear message to the government, asserting their refusal to be deceived or exploited, particularly in light of the upcoming December general elections.

Read the full statement below

PRESS RELEASE
8th April 2024

THE KUMASI CENTRAL MARKET AND SECOND HAND CLOTHES TRADERS UNION TO EMBARK ON FIVE DAYS OF CONTINUED DEMONSTRATION OVER THE ABANDONED KUMASI CENTRAL MARKET REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

We, the Kumasi Central Market Traders and second hand clothes Union in the strongest hold of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ashanti region, would like to express our 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 us believe that the project would be completed on time to enable us to return to our 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.

Our quest to find out was brought to our attention 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 hits the accounts of the government.

We 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.

Currently, weeds and reptiles have taken over the project site as we 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.

During the protest, we will picket and remove all the barricades on the project, and after the days of demonstrations and nothing is being heard, we will storm the incomplete market site with our goods and commodities to trade and nothing can stop us.

It is worthy of note that we are currently in talks with the Ghana Police Service, to secure permission to embark on the demonstration as permitted by Article 21(1d) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

We are, therefore, sending a signal to the NPP government that we, the traders in the Ashanti region are vigilant this time round, and they cannot fool or deceive us and later come back to canvas for our votes as the December general elections are approaching.

The NPP government must better do the needful before the day of reckoning comes.

END.

Signed

Joseph Marfo
(Secretary, second hand clothes sellers Association. 0244848804)

Agya Owusu
(Operations, Second hand clothes sellers Association 0208173177)

Filip Gyau Oboana
(Central Market 0243618747)

Maame Brayie
(Central Market 0244222022)

 

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