Mad rush for Abinkyi stalls

As the deadline draws near for traders and squatters occupying the Race Course to vacate the place to enable commencement of the multi-purpose city complex, information gathered by The Chronicle indicates that there is massive scramble for space at the alternate site provided by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

Both completed and uncompleted structures, according to information available to the paper, have already been booked, contrary to speculations that the traders were reluctant to move to the new site, as a result of the fees being charged for the structures by authorities.

The eviction of the traders would pave way for the commencement of the ultra-modern Sun City complex being embarked upon by Kenbert Group of Companies, under the auspices of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The management of Kenbert Group of Companies, a Ghanaian-South African consortium led by Mr. Robert Kwaku Asante Appiah, told the paper all was set for the commencement of the project, which would be a replica of the magnificent Sun City in South Africa, and that the next step was for the traders at the Race Course to be re-located.

Following the allocation of the Race Course market to Kenbert Group of Companies by the Asantehene, the city authorities were tasked by the Asante King to prepare an alternate place for the traders, hence the development of the new market site located at a popular place called Abinkyi.

The Managing Director of T& K Enterprise, the company constructing the alternative market, Mr. T.K. Braimah, stated in an interview that development on the site had gone a long way, with about 1,500 open and permanent stalls already completed.

Mr. Braimah said work on the additional structures was speedily progressing, and expected to be completed soon for allocating.

He indicated that so far, about 1,500 traders had already tabled their applications and made payments for ownership of the stalls, adding that about 70% percent of the numbers were made up of those seeking to occupy temporary and open stalls.

Mr. Braimah said the company was dealing with traders' associations and individuals who had interests in obtaining some of the stalls, explaining that a comprehensive data base had been built to ensure every trader has his or her share of the structures and stalls.

Touching on the fees being charged by the company, which initially generated an uproar, Mr. Braimah said the price range of GH¢200 for an open stall and GH¢600 for a permanent store was cheaper, compared to those available on the open market.

He said apart from being relatively economical, the new stalls also come with the provision of social amenities such as electricity, sanitary facilities, neatly tarred roads and other incentives which would make trading in the area very convenient, as compared to the Race Course market, where there were no such facilities.

Pix: (top) Mr. Braimah (right) briefing the KMA Chief Executive, Mr. Samuel Sarpong, during a tour of the site