Kumasi traders resist, badmouth Mayor over market eviction

Hon.Osei Assibey, traders making him hot

A section of traders notably jewellery, fish, fruits and travelling bags dealers within the Central Market Business enclave in Kumasi on Tuesday, March 9 2020, embarked on a peaceful demonstration to express their disappointment against the Kumasi Mayor, Hon Osei Assibey Antwi.

The angry described him as an obstacle to their business activities in the area.

Though the said demonstration was peaceful, they were fiercely resisted by the security personnel.

As if that was not enough, the angry traders rained unprintable languages against the Mayor and the city authorities for their inability to find a lasting solution to the issue of accommodation.

"See, after convincing us to vote for NPP into power, this is our rewards," a trader lamented.

The spokesperson for the traders, Mr Frimpong was not immediately available to comment on the demonstration.

However, in separate interviews with some of the angry traders, they told Modernghana News that they are not against the construction of the market or harbouring any I'll motive against any developmental agenda.

According to the traders, they only expect KMA as city managers to legitimately relocate them to an appropriate avenue to enable them continue their businesses, which the Assembly has since failed to do.

According to them, the Mayor has on several occasions engaged the traders with the assurance to relocate them.

The traders lamented that at this crucial moment where the Covid-19 pandemic has collapsed many businesses of their husbands and wives, they are working hard to keep the families alive.

Whilst some of the demonstrators were calling on the Mayor to apply the Assembly's legitimately bye-laws to evict them from the Central market, others threatened to face off with the security personnel.

"KMA has already agreed to relocate us and with the absence of fulfilling their promise but rather consider it prudent to disturb us amidst destroying our goods with impunity, then how does Osei Assibey values us, beasts or human beings," a trader, Kofi Karikari intimated.

The traders humbly appealed to Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II to intervene in the matter for a peaceful resolution between them and the authorities of the KMA.

It could be recalled that KMA early this year, February 15, threatened to evict the traders meanwhile, no alternative space was made available but the Assembly's move was stalled when the Regional Minister intervened with a call on the Assembly to do the right thing first before the eviction.