Kumasi residents angry with Anloga wood workers

Kumasi, Sept. 2, GNA - Some residents in the Kumasi Metropolis have expressed indignation at the wood workers at Anloga in Kumasi, who have refused to relocate to pave way for the construction of a by-pass. The wood workers are asking among other things for more time to evacuate move their equipment to a newly constructed wood village at Sokoban for work to begin on the Oforikrom-Asokwa by-pass. According to the residents, the plea by the wood workers for the extension of their stay was a deliberate attempt to frustrate the smooth execution of the project, which is meant not only to ease traffic congestion in the metropolis but to also beautify the city. Sharing their views on the issue at separate interviews by the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi on Wednesday, the residents called on the KMA to be firm and evacuate the wood workers in order not to further delay the project.

Mr Yaw Opoku Mintah, a businessman at Oforikrom, described the wood workers' action as absurd and completely unacceptable. "The decision goes to confirm speculations in the metropolis that, the carpenters have vowed to sabotage the implementation of the project", he added.

Mr Mintah said the residents were fed up with "the selfish attitude of the carpenters," and they would mobilize themselves to protest against any further delay of the project. Madam Mercy Nkansah Adwubi, a wood seller at the Anloga wood market, said the plea for extension of time was an attempt to create confusion and bring other traders affected by the relocation exercise into public ridicule.

The wood workers union on Monday held a news conference in Kumasi to plead with the KMA to extend the deadline for the relocation period, which expired on August 24, 2009. Previous attempts by KMA and the project implementation committee to relocate them to the new place was met with resistance from the carpenters.

Though most of their conditions have been addressed, they are still adamant to evacuate. Some were also politicising the issue. Meanwhile, the KMA had pledged to evacuate the workers and said its stance was non negotiation.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, KMA Chief Executive told newsmen in Kumasi that, the assembly would use force to evict the wood workers if they failed to evacuate. Some of the residents hailed the assembly for coming out boldly to condemn the wood workers' action and pledged their support to ensure smooth execution of the by-pass project. 2 Sept. 09