Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has cautioned that it will not tolerate any threat or lawlessness in the relocation of traders and transport operators from unapproved locations in the Central Business District (CBD) of the city to the Race Course, Afia Kobi (Abinkyi) market and other satellite markets, and will ensure that it will do everything possible to make it a success.

It is, therefore, entreating traders to comply with the orders of the Assembly to ply their trade at the Race Course, Afia Kobi (Abinkyi) market or any of the available satellite markets.

The KMA in November 2017, embarked on a relocation exercise to move traders and drivers in the Central Business District of Adum, Kejetia, Pampaso, S.A.T and Dr. Mensah to Race Course and Abinkyi markets, to pave way for contractors working on the first phase of the Kejetia Re-development Project to have access to the roads around the project and upgrade them.

The exercise is also to help ease the heavy vehicular traffic and human congestion in the CDB.

In a joint statement issued by the Kejetia Petty Traders Association, United Petty Traders Association and Kejetia Main Pavement Traders Association on Wednesday January 24, 2018, they accused the KMA of adopting a lackadaisical approach to the relocation exercise, allowing some of their members, who have acquired spaces at the designated locations, still operate at the Central Business District (CBD).

In a release signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of KMA, Godwin Okumah Nyame, it described their statement “unfortunate” and “the best would have been for the executives who have always championed the cause of their members to ask them (members) to co-operate for the success of the exercise.”

KMA also denied the allegation made by the trader's Associations of allocating spaces to the transport operators at the Race Course and at the same time turning around to issue stickers to drivers to load by the roadside in the Central Business District (CBD).

“It must be emphasized that the aim for the introduction of stickers is not to load by the roadside.

It is rather to limit the drivers permitted to enter the Central Business District (CBD) as a control measure to reduce congestion. This interim arrangement was agreed upon by the KMA and the Transport Operators in order to bring some relief to commuters who patronize the intracity transport system” it said.

It said inspection by Bantamahene, Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, KMA officials and the leaders of the traders’ associations including other relevant stakeholders to some of the satellite markets within the Metropolis, realized that most of the markets were vacant, and Banatamahene gave the order for the traders to re-locate and occupy those empty spaces.

“Going forward, KMA still stands by its earlier declaration that any available space that is not occupied by those given allocations will have it re-allocated to other interested traders to do business at the Race Course” it warned.