Some petty traders at Bantama market in Kumasi have reacted angrily after they were evicted from their selling points in the market by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in a mini decongestion exercise carried out yesterday.

The assembly’s taskforce, with support from the police, pulled down structures considered to be at unauthorized places and forcibly removed wares and trading commodities of the traders on pavements and lorry terminals.

The action has since drawn the anger and condemnation of the traders, who said it was a deliberate attempt by the city authorities to deprive them of their livelihood.

But the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of KMA, Godwin Kumah Nyame, reacting to the negative backlash, defended the operation, saying the Assembly notified the traders and gave them ample time to relocate.

He indicated that the affected people and their activities had become a complete nuisance that had threatened the existence of other services at the terminal.

He told Hello Fm, a Kumasi-based radio station, that the affected traders had ignored repeated warnings by the Assembly to relocate to the new market at Abinkyi christened Afua Kobi Market.

According to Kumah Nyame, it was unacceptable for the traders to take over the section of the market which is a lorry terminal to create unnecessary vehicular congestion.

However, one of the affected traders, Akwasi Adjei, denied claims by the Assembly that the place was a terminal, insisting it was a market place that ought to be occupied by traders and not vehicles.

In his view, the action of the KMA was too heavy handed, and that “it’s not very nice approach to see city authorities looking like mafia and destroying livelihoods,” adding that he was extremely gutted by the exercise.

Meanwhile, the affected traders now have to make a final decision about whether to move to the Afua Kobi Market or wait for the pressure to subside and then return.

The Bantama market is one of the popular markets in Kumasi and has been hosting traders since time memorial due to its location at the city centre.