Kejetia: Chaos, Wailing, And Curses As Trading Groups Clash Over Commercial Space

Part of Kejetia Market was thrown into chaos, with wailing and curses, after some trading groups reportedly clashed over trading spaces on Monday, June 24, 2024.

The space, according to shop owners, is not meant for trading but to create access for people who patronize the market and also to help firefighters in an emergency.

One of the shop owners at Kumasi City Market, Maa Vida, alleged that the space has been sold by the management, including the Managing Director, Mr. Kofi Duffour, and the Operations Director, Nana Poku. They have also accused the Ashanti Regional Minister of being behind the sale of spaces that serve as emergency exits.

They noted that the management has since sold all the spaces in the market, blocking every access meant for emergency cases, especially when there’s a fire outbreak.

They have therefore vowed to resist any attempt to sell the space until they rescind their decision.

Speaking in an interview, they have cautioned the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah, and the KMA boss to come out if they don’t have control of the sale of unauthorised spaces in the Kumasi market.

Many of the hydrants were sighted in Kumasi and have been blocked by traders and developers, with others covered by sand, weeds, and refuse.

Some of the hydrants have also been sealed by the Ghana Water Company Ltd. (GWCL) due to leakages, while others have been locked by the police due to the danger they pose to the public.

Though most fire hydrants are identified by their stand-out red nozzles and are supposed to be easily accessible in case of emergency, the situation is different in many areas of Kumasi, including the newly built Kejetia Market.

The traders who know more about the market and the investments they have made in their businesses confirmed the observation to the media, indicating that it was a disincentive to firefighting in the Kumasi Kejetia Market.

Within the Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi, Silver FM’s Akwadaa Nyame counted more than 15 hydrants at various vantage points, but as to whether they were all serviceable or not, nobody cared.

There are some functioning hydrants at Kumasi Kejetia Market, which are being gradually taken over by these traders who have paid money to the Kumasi City market management without thinking about the future consequences.

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