The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly [KMA], has rejected assertions by some traders in the metropolis that it has adopted a “lackadaisical approach” in the ongoing relocation exercise of traders and transport operators.
The Assembly has also asked members of the various traders’ associations to desist from any intended plan to demonstrate and comply with its orders to ply their trade at the Race Course, Afia Kobi (Abinkyi) market or any of the available satellite markets.
[contextly_sidebar id=”S9ecmmj5ttfeh6yvExnsBtD6CGlcxzxN”]The Assembly has also warned that it will not tolerate any threat or act of lawlessness from any trader, and re-assured it will ensure the ongoing exercise to relocate traders and all transport operators is successful.
This comes after over 200 traders comprising members of the Kejetia petty traders, united petty traders and the Kejetia main pavement traders Associations, threatened to go back onto the streets to ply their trade if the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly fails to relocate transport operators to the Race Course terminal by the end of this month.
The traders have also threatened to demonstrate against the Assembly and attributed their low sales to the Assembly’s failure to relocate the transport operators to the terminal.
The Assembly recently relocated traders to Racecourse temporarily to pave way for the completion of the Kejetia Redevelopment Project.
The exercise also aims at decongesting the Central Business District.
Speaking to Citi News, Public Relations Officer of the KMA, Godwin Okumah Nyame, said the Assembly has taken note of the concerns raised by the traders, and said the process of relocation is still ongoing.
“It is rather to limit the drivers permitted to enter the Central Business District as a control measure to reduce congestion. This interim arrangement was agreed upon by the KMA and the Transport Operators, in order to bring some relief to commuters who patronize the intra-city transport system”, he indicated.
He added that, apart from the intracity transport arrangement, the various terminals for cars headed for the Central, Brong Ahafo, Northern regions, and even areas in Ashanti, are still operating at the Race Course where the traders are supposed to transact their businesses.
He called on the traders to cooperate with the Assembly to make the ongoing exercise a successful one.
–
By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana