Kumasi Mayor, Kojo Bonsu, has assured traders of the Kumasi Central market that the first phase of the planned reconstruction of the burnt market will commence soon.
According to him, parliament has already approved $172.5 million out of the projected $259 million to begin the project.
“In all the total loan agreement for the project is $259 million but parliament has approved $172.5 million for the first part to start, so we are excited about the project. Even though we had problems, this whole noise about rebuilding the Kumasi market is past and gone,” he stated.
The Mayor gave the assurance when he commiserated with victims of Thursday’s fire outbreak, which destroyed over 60 shops belonging to the traders in the country’s second biggest city.
He said the metropolitan assembly and other stakeholders will convene an emergency meeting to discuss how to assist the traders rebuild their shops.
Bonsu, however, cautioned the traders against reconstructing their structures without proper supervision from certified electrical engineers.
“We must thank God that no life was lost, but when things like this happen to people, they get angry. A lot of people have talked about this market and nothing happened that’s why I was very calm, we are not saying we will not allow them to build their sheds but we need to find better ways. Electricals are problems,” he noted.
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