Confusion erupted at the Kejetia Market as traders illegally occupying spaces at the market fiercely resisted attempts by a Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly task force to seize their goods during a decongestion exercise.
The traders had insisted they’ve been asked to pay a service fee to occupy the alleyways at the market, but the assembly refuted the claim, arguing no such authorisation had been given.
The team, comprising military officers, city guards and local assembly authorities, is on a mission to decongest the city centre ahead of the festivities and instil cleanliness at the market.
The assembly had earlier cautioned the traders to vacate the entry points to the market centre or risk losing their wares.
The women are alleged to be paying a service charge to legally occupy spaces along the alleyways of the market.
“I will work to take care of my kids. I pay my service charge, yet you attack us with soldiers almost every day. Ever since Zuba assumed office, he has been intimidating us,” a trader noted.
But the assembly refuted the claims.
“We do not know whom they’ve paid these monies to. And in fact, the mayor has made them aware he is not taking any money. The only money we take is the license for occupying the stalls and not those on the alleyways,” Francis Dodovi, the Technical Advisor to the Kumasi mayor, said.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has launched a crackdown on unauthorised trading at the Central business district of Kejetia, Adum and other satellite markets within the metropolis.
The team seized goods sitting on unauthorised spaces and destroyed wooden structures on pavements.
At the Bantama market, the team assessed compliance with the decongestion exercise after paying a visit earlier in the week.
Usually, scores of traders would be seen plying their trade along the shoulders of the road leading to the market.
But there was a general level of compliance with pockets of defiance.
The team also towed away vehicles parked indiscriminately.
The assembly says it remains committed to easing vehicular and human congestion at major trading areas.