They have given the Assembly a 12-hour ultimatum to reopen the shops or face their wrath.

[contextly_sidebar id=”qFlqaFc4D2dckefMo5FqnZJEiVUtqww8″]Citi News gathered that, 15 shops in the Central Market, were closed on Thursday, following a misunderstanding between revenue collectors of the KMA and the owners of the shops over the payment of daily tolls.

Some of the traders said the Assembly was charging them GHS 2.00 as market toll each day, instead of an agreed amount of 50 pesewas.

Maame Anima, one of the affected women, told Citi News that they had agreed to pay GHS 1.00 as daily market toll, after a meeting with the heads of the Assembly, but the revenue collectors insisted on taking GHc 2.00 when they went round the stalls on Thursday.

She explained that, one of the revenue collectors physically assaulted a market woman after she refused to pay the GHS 2.00, insisting they had agreed to Ghc 1.00 at a previous meeting.

But the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, has discounted claims that the market women are being charged Ghc. 2.00 as market toll.

According to him, the charge is GHS 1.00, and that has been the amount set by the assembly some five years ago, but came into effect in October 2017.

“KMA has not increased the fee. The fee was fixed more than 5 years ago, but we have now enforced it so  we have not increased it. The fee as at the time of Kojo Bonsu, was when the KMA allowed the fee increase of Ghc1.00, but the market leaders pleaded that we give them a moratorium until 2017, and that is exactly what we are doing now,” he told Citi News.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The GHc2.2 million 70-meter bridge was built for the safety of pedestrians and to ease congestion at the Central Business District but the purpose has largely been defeated.

Traders and hawkers have turned it into a thriving market, using it to do brisk business – with wares displayed on every inch of the bridge.

Mr. Osei-Mensah, who spoke to reporters described the situation as deeply troubling and completely unacceptable.

He said the intense pressure on the bridge – the weight on it, was creating safety concerns – potential risk of the bridge collapsing.

He indicated that inaction by the Regional Coordinating Council and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), could prove to be too costly.

He said he was ready to fearlessly tackle the issue to ensure discipline in the Ashanti Regional capital.

Mr. Osei-Mensah warned that recalcitrant traders would be arrested and prosecuted.

The footbridge linking the Market with Adum and other parts of the district, was inaugurated in October, 2013, to allow for free pedestrian movement.

The Minister said “it is illegal for any trader to sell his or her wares on the footbridge, and as a law-abiding government we will not allow the wrong things to be done”.

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Source: GNA

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The fire reportedly started around 1.30pm today [Monday], April 10.

According to Citi News’ Lauretta Timah, items worth hundreds of thousands of cedis have been destroyed in the outbreak.

The cause of the fire is not immediately known, as fire officers are currently at the scene battling the inferno.

The Kumasi Central Market has seen a series of fire outbreaks in the past, although this particular fire has not yet engulfed portions of the market.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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