Used cloth dealers and traders formerly situated in Kumasi Central Market, now relocated to Racecourse due to reconstruction, are planning a five-day continuous protest.
They expressed frustration over the delay in completing phase two of the Kumasi Central Market redevelopment.
The traders said but for the 25th-anniversary celebration of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, they would have hit the street and express their displeasure.
The redevelopment of the Kumasi Central Market, initiated by the governing New Patriotic Party to enhance trading conditions, was paused in 2022 amid the Debt Restructuring Programme.
However, traders who resettled at Racecourse have voiced concerns over the project’s impact on their businesses.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah assured that the market project will resume after completing the Kumasi International Airport and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital’s maternity block.
However, traders remain resolute about the protest, criticizing the government’s project priorities.
The leader of the Central Market Traders Association, Samuel Obeng, emphasized their determination to protest, irrespective of the government’s stance.
The planned protest will include auto mechanics from Suame magazine and other groups in the region.
“We are still holding on to our plans to demonstrate. We are quiet because of the ongoing 25th Anniversary celebration of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. We don’t want to cause any disturbances to interrupt his activities. But once Otumfuo is done with the anniversary, we will fix a date to stage our demonstration.
The demonstration will be a massive one because it will include auto mechanics from Suame magazine and other groups in the region.
“We respect the Regional Minister, but he can go ahead and say what he wants. We are not backing down on our demonstration. If the NPP government wants to go into opposition, we will help them do so.”
“The completion of the Kumasi International Airport will not provide food for us nor can it help us in any way as traders. Instead of helping us cater for ourselves and our families by completing the market, you rather want to complete the airport, that’s fine, but we shall see,” he said.
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