The board of the new Kejetia Market also known as the Kumasi City Markets Limited has directed that the facility should be closed for one more week.
This comes after the market was gutted by fire on Wednesday, 15th March 2023 which led to the destruction of items worth millions of Ghana cedis.
Following the incident, the facility was reopened after 12 noon the next day and was later closed down for three days for further assessment.
After being in a meeting, the board extended the closure for a further one week, starting on Monday, 20th March 2023.
“At its Emergency Meeting Held on Friday 17th March 2023, the Board of Kumasi City Markets Limited in consultation with experts on construction and disaster management has resolved that in order to protect the life and property of patrons of the Kumasi Kejetia Market Complex, the following measures are to be adhered to following the outbreak of fire at the facility on Wednesday the 15th of March 2023. The experts have advised that there is a need to assess the electromechanical and other safety installations as well as the structural integrity of the affected area before granting access to patrons.In that regard;
a. The non-affected area of the facility is to be closed for a further one week from Monday 20th March 2023.
b. The affected area (i.e, connection area) which is the epicenter of the fire is to be closed indefinitely until advised by the assessment experts.
The general public is therefore advised to strictly adhere to the above measures in order to safequard lives and property,” the board stated in its release.
The leadership of the traders have however expressed their displeasure following the latest decision, describing it as a shocking one.
“It has come as a shock to us. What we are asking is that, whoever took those decisions, did they really factor in the concerns of traders? Did they really factor in the effect it is going to have on trading? We are not sure authorities have taken these into consideration. They are only thinking about the structure. The management never engaged us in extending this closure. The board didn’t engage us. It just looks like some authoritative persons sitting in their own corner in their offices or their homes and decided to take these decisions without even taking into consideration other parties who this will be having an effect on them,” the General Secretary of the Combined Traders Association, Reuben Ammeh stated this in an interview with Citi News.
Reuben Ammeh tells Citi News the traders are considering taking legal action against the management of the facility and the board following the recent development.
“With this attitude of management and the board, when they’ve failed woefully on their job, when they’ve been sleeping on their job, this incompetency shows off from the board and management. We are very much sure that all this will end in court. We will surely take a class action. Before this issue, they knew everything-they knew the shortfalls of the market, but they didn’t take action”.
