Traders at the Kumasi City Market—popularly known as Kejetia market in the Ashanti Region are warning of a potential catastrophe, describing the facility as a “death trap” and calling for urgent government intervention to prevent a possible collapse.
The traders say they are living in constant fear due to visible and widening cracks in the structure, which they believe signal serious structural weakness. They blame the situation on poor management, lack of maintenance, and what they describe as prolonged neglect by authorities.
According to them, the problem has been worsened by severe overcrowding. The market, originally designed to accommodate just over 8,000 lockable shops and stalls, is now overstretched, with trading activities expanding far beyond its intended capacity.
At a news conference held at the market on Tuesday, March 31, the traders outlined several concerns, including a lack of managerial direction, political interference, poor maintenance culture, and persistent electricity challenges due to the continued use of a bulk metering system.
They also highlighted the absence of adequate firefighting equipment and noted that the facility still lacks a fire certificate.
The traders further accused market management of exacerbating congestion by reallocating spaces originally designated for emergency access to tabletop traders—an action they warn could severely hinder rescue operations in the event of a disaster.
The President of the Federation of Kumasi Traders, Nana Akwasi Prempeh, says the situation requires immediate attention.
Traders are urging government and relevant authorities to act swiftly—not only to avert a potential structural failure, but also to safeguard the livelihoods of more than 20,000 people who depend on the market. They warn that the situation, if left unaddressed, could escalate into a national security concern.
“In terms of readiness to fight fire, a facility as huge as this has not had a fire certificate since November 2021. The market does not have any market insurance, hence no remedy came in support of the victims in the March 2023 unfortunate fire incident in the Market. To date, no steps whatsoever have been taken to rectify these issues. No one cares,” he stated.
