The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) has asked the management of the Kumasi City Market (Kejetia) to step aside pending investigations into some trader complaints.

According to a report by 3news.com, the directive comes on the back of a petition by trader unions to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, demanding his intervention over allegations of extortion and poor management.

According to the Secretary of the Kumasi City Market Traders Union, Michael Adu Gyamfi, some pertinent issues affecting their operations include unpaid electricity bills, lack of individual meters, and the delayed reconstruction of a fire-damaged section of the market.

“For years, we have been grappling with power cuts by the Electricity Company of Ghana due to debts owed by the facility. As traders, we’ve been paying our bills, yet the market remains in debt. Our calls for individual meters have been ignored. It’s been over a year since part of the market was gutted by fire, but reconstruction has not begun. Management seems unconcerned about our demands,” the secretary is reported to have said when the group met the Regional Minister.
The Regional Coordinating Council, days after receiving the petition, formed an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee the operations of the market pending the outcome of the investigations.

“The Regional Coordinating Council has received a number of petitions from traders and other stakeholders concerning the management of the market. The RCC has decided that the current management of Kumasi City Market should step aside to allow for the establishment of an Interim Management Committee. This decision aims to facilitate an investigation into the allegations and verify their authenticity,” a statement signed by the regional minister said.

GA/EK

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