Traders in Kejetia up in arms against Kojo Bonsu over Brazil trip

Traders in Kejetia, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, have challenged the city’s mayor over reports that their leaders were part of a contingent to Brazil for final talks on the reconstruction of West Africa’s biggest market.

They accused Kojo Bonsu of sending leadership of the Central Market instead.

According to them, those at the Central Market will not be severely affected by the reconstruction like they will do.

Speaking on TV3’s Midday Live on Monday, March 23, Bernard Kwesi Dwomoh, an executive member of the Kejetia Traders' Association, disputed reports that some members of the Association accompanied the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to Brazil.

“No one has been taken to Brazil,” he emphasized.

He said Mr Bonsu has not been transparent with them over the reconstruction of the market, accusing him of telling a different story to Ghanaians through the media.

The trip to Brazil is to afford stakeholders opportunity to see at first-hand a prototype of the market to be constructed in Kejetia.

The 13-member contingent is said to include leadership of the traders, three Members of Parliament and officials of the Assembly.

Mr Dwomoh said the return of the contingent will see the activation of “Operation Move Fast”, which, according to him, will see the rapid relocation of the traders for work to kick-start.

But he claims that is going to amount to a betrayal on the part of the mayor, as he had promised to keep them up-to-date about the redevelopment project.

The traders have threatened to demonstrate within this week over their unhappiness.

The $3 million project – which will be jointly financed by the Brazilian government and a Dutch bank – is expected to be completed in five years.