Kejetia Market: Otumfuo must step in, accountability needed – Former A/R Minister

Former Ashanti Regional Minister under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum is calling on Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to invite stakeholders of the Kejetia market including the current Ashanti Regional Minister to answer for the poor management of the Kejetia redeveloped Market.

Fire gutted the facility last week with finger-pointing ongoing over the fire systems that needed to be in place to check such an unfortunate development.

The market has since been shut down for investigations and measures are being put in place for opening immediately.

Even before the findings are made public, Ambassador Agyekum believes any intervention by Otumfuo will bring some sanity to the facility as poor management by key stakeholders resulted in the fire and other poor happenings at the place.

He spoke to Kojo Bimpong Marfo on Abusua Nkomo on Abusua 96.6 FM in Kumasi monitored by MyNewsGh.com.

“The board and management of KMA have not acted well. It is my wish and I boldly recommend that Otumfuo must step in this matter. This is an issue that is at the heart of Asanteman. The market is an edifice at the heart of all Ashantis. The KMA, and the Board of directors, have issues to answer. There has to be some form of accountability, there is so much money being collected at the market. I am sure KMA facilities are being used for collecting tolls, accountability is needed. Money was collected to fix things at the market and was not done, we need accountability,” he said.

"The lack of accountability at all levels from the fire service, the KMA, the board of the market and even the insurers have all failed. The development of Asanteman should be paramount to all, this is not an issue to be left to the finance minister or the local government, we must all be interested. All stakeholders in the market need to be invited so we all know what’s happening. Otumfuo this is my humble request,” he pleaded.