- Kejetia Market traders demand MD's dismissal over mismanagement.
- Traders give government a two-week ultimatum to act.
- Protests sparked by pavement sales, overcrowding, and missing funds.
- Traders urge government to rebuild damaged section and restore shops.
Traders at the New Kejetia Market in Kumasi are intensifying their demands for the government to dismiss the facility’s managing director, Mr. Edmund Kofi Duffour, citing mismanagement and neglect. The traders, who have given a two-week ultimatum, threaten to take matters into their own hands if no action is taken to replace the management.
At a press conference on Tuesday, June 25, the traders alleged that the current management has failed to address various issues, including the unlawful sale of pavements, leading to overcrowding in the market. They also highlighted the disappearance of GH¢300,000 donated to victims of last year’s fire outbreak, which destroyed 54 shops, leaving many traders without a place to sell their goods.
Reuben Amey, secretary of the Combined Kejetia Traders Association, urged the government to ensure the contractor returns to the site to complete the reconstruction of the damaged section. The traders are frustrated that, over a year after the fire, the affected section remains closed, leaving victims without a means of livelihood.
They fear that if the situation persists, it may lead to confrontations with the government in the upcoming election year. The traders reiterated their calls for the government to reconstruct the damaged section and restore the 54 shops, enabling the affected traders to resume their businesses.
The government’s inaction has left many traders feeling forgotten and neglected, with no alternative spaces provided for them to sell their goods. The traders’ association is urging the government to address their concerns and resolve the issues plaguing the market to prevent further unrest and ensure a peaceful trading environment.
