Relocate KMA traders now

Trading is at the core of the economies of many nations, including Ghana.

The more there is movement of goods among markets, the more the increase in the exchange of money, which in turn increases economic activities and subsequently spurs economic growth.

Indeed, markets are so essential to the entire process of production, as they are where the exchange of goods and services takes place.

In its quest for accelerated growth, and realising the important role markets play in such an endeavour, the country has, over the years, allocated huge resources to put up some modern markets for its citizens.

And even as the population of the country grows, outstripping its amenities, so are efforts made to expand market facilities to ease congestion, offer more avenues for the increasing traders and ensure that they add to economic activities to help expand and grow the economy for the benefit of all.

The Daily Graphic believes that it is the same broad intention that has moved the government to allocate scarce public resources to undertake a redevelopment of the Kumasi Central Market.

Fortunately, phase one of the project has been completed and the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, cut the sod a couple of months ago for work on phase two of the project to begin.

But the Daily Graphic is worried that five months after the sod-cutting, work is yet to start, as we learn the process of relocating traders at the market to make way for the contractor to move to site has been very slow.

This is disturbing, especially viewed against the backdrop that the construction company has received mobilisation funds of some €13 million and is ready to start work.

We are at a loss as to why a simple relocation of traders to the newly developed Kejetia Market and other designated satellite markets cannot be done five months into the agreed timelines.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) needs no reminder that its failure to allocate spaces to the traders to allow for their relocation for the second phase of the project to begin will never be in the interest of the assembly and the country as a whole, as it is going to have a telling effect on revenue generation, employment opportunities and economic activities in the area.

Already, a source has told the Daily Graphic that containers of materials and equipment shipped by the contractor for the project have been at the Tema Harbour for weeks because they cannot be moved to site, since the traders have not moved out.

The situation is worrying, especially as it could result in demurrage charges against the construction company.

And the KMA must know that any extra charges incurred by the company will be passed on, directly or indirectly, to the country to increase the project cost.

It is also going to delay the project and subsequently the time the country can benefit from it in terms of economic gains, which will delay our economic progress.

The Daily Graphic admonishes the KMA to, as a matter of urgency, relocate the traders for the project to take off, else any negative impact on the socio-economic lives of the people arising from the late start of the project will be blamed squarely on the assembly.

We task the relevant ministries to also act swiftly and ensure that the Ashanti Regional Minister and the KMA Chief Executive perform their mandated duties of relocating the traders.

We do not want to believe that the situation has arisen because of personal parochial interests on the part of the assembly’s officials, but if it turns out that that is so, then severe sanctions must be applied to ensure that public officials do not hold the country to ransom because of their own interests.

Can anybody explain why the first phase that has been completed has more spaces than traders but still the place has not been allocated? We are appalled by the explanation of the KMA Chief Executive that plans are far advanced to relocate the traders.

Indeed! Still planning for relocation after five months?

As we learn, any delay in the start of the project could result in difficulty accessing the funds for the second phase of the market project.

We hope we will spare a moment to think about these.