Kumasi traders associations have expressed dissatisfaction and threatening to campaign against New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the government’s failure to complete several unfinished market projects in the Ashanti Region.
These associations have pledged to potentially campaign against the NPP in the 2024 general election if the markets remain uncompleted. Their stance underscores the importance of these markets to the local economy and their frustration with the lack of progress.
Representatives from several trader groups, including the Second-hand Cloth Sellers Association, Santasi Traders Union, Suame Magazine Workers Union, Mamponteng Traders Association, Central Market Traders Association, and Kumasi Lotto Sellers Association, issued a statement on Monday, May 6, detailing their concerns. They also threatened to stage a five-day protest if the government does not meet their demands, indicating a potential escalation in their response.
Meanwhile, the trader associations have reached out to local leaders such as Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Ashanti Queen Mother Nana Konadu Yiadom. They seek intervention from these respected figures to press the government into action on completing the abandoned markets, demonstrating the traders’ urgency in the matter.
The traders also have requested the removal of barricades around the Kejetia Second Phase project. They warned that if these barricades are not taken down, they may be forced to take action themselves, highlighting the depth of their concerns and their determination to see these projects completed.
PRESS RELEASE: BY KUMASI TRADERS & ASANTE MAN YOUTH UNION THREATENING TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY (NPP)
SOURCE: CitiNewsroom – 6th May, 2024
Good morning esteemed members of the media,
We, the entirety of traders in the Kumasi and its environs, including the Second-hand Cloth Sellers Association, Santasi Traders Union, Suame Magazine Workers Union, Mamponteng Traders Association, Central Market Traders Association, Kumasi Lotto Sellers Association, have jointly decided to initiate a campaign against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 general election if the government fails to complete all the abandoned markets in the Ashanti Region, including the much-awaited Phase Two of the Kejetia Market.
Over the past one year, six months, progress on these projects has come to a halt due to the renegotiation of a loan agreement following the country’s decision to opt for a financial bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while other markets including Mamponteng market, Krofrom market and Santasi market has been abandoned since former President Kufuor era.
Presently, we have four major markets left abandoned by the NPP government:
1. Krofrom Market
2. Mamponteng Market
3. Santasi Market
4. Phase Two of the Kejetia Market.
We, the aforementioned traders’ unions within the Ashanti Region, have continuously voiced our concerns regarding the challenges we face in conducting business at our current locations.
The government’s failure to meet completion targets has left us disheartened and frustrated. We fail to comprehend why a project would be initiated only to be abandoned, leaving our fellow traders to sell their goods in unsuitable conditions.
Our livelihoods are greatly affected by adverse weather conditions; each rainfall turns our marketplaces into muddy quagmires, while the scorching sun blankets the area in dust, making it difficult for us to operate effectively.
The Ashanti Region, a stronghold of the NPP, rightfully expects swift development, especially in Kumasi. However, the lack of progress on these crucial projects has left us deeply disappointed.
We, the aforementioned traders’ union, earnestly appeal to His Majesty, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, once more to intervene on our behalf.
We humbly implore Asantehene to lend his support and influence towards the restoration and completion of all abandoned markets in the region.
Furthermore, we extend our plea to the Ashanti Queen Mother, Nana Konadu Yiadom, who holds jurisdiction over all markets in the Ashanti Kingdom.
We believe that her background as a former trader will foster a deeper understanding of our plight and inspire her to champion our cause.
If our demand did not yield any result, we the aforementioned traders together with Asanteman Youth Union will joined the five days demonstration by our brothers and sisters of Central Market and second hand cloth sellers to demonstrate against the government.
We on this press release urging the contracta company to remove all the barricades from the Kejetia second phase projects before we do it by ourselves because we will not think twice to take it off to do our businesses there if our demand did not heard.
Thank you, Asanteman.
Thank you, Ghana.
Together, let us strive for a better future for all traders and citizens alike.
Ghanaians have weighed in their thoughts stressing that most political parties after winning elections turn a deaf ear to plights of Ghanaians and this is no different as most projects have been left unattended to.
