Kejetia flood: Greedy, selfish authorities cause of our woes - Angry traders lament

Correspondence from Ashanti Region

Angry traders at the Kumasi Kejetia have blamed political authorities for the recent unfortunate incident that occurred at the New Kumasi Kejetia market that led to the destruction of many properties.

Their anger sparks following last Thursday's heavy downpour that flooded almost the entire Kejetia from the down floor up to the last floor. The

Read full articleflooding which affected over five hundred (500) stores led to the destruction of many properties worth unspecified amount of money.

Speaking to GhanaWeb in an exclusive interview, members of the Combined Kejetia Association blamed the main cause on authorities who give out projects to incompetent contractors.

According to them, these authorities instead of involving all stakeholders before contracts are given to supposedly right persons, do it solely, out of greed and selfishness.

The angry traders said these authorities take such steps only for their selfish percentage gains and add the act has been causing a lot of damage to every project that is on contract in Kumasi.

Chairman of the Combined Kejetia Traders' Association, Mr. Michael Kwabena Fosu popularly known as MK who spoke to GhanaWeb said the CONTRACTA company which undertook the Kejetia project did a very shoddy work.

He said the Kejetia was not properly planned by the contractor hence the current flooding challenge.

But to his dismay, the Brazilian company has been given other contracts such as the Kejetia phase two project, the Kumasi airport project and another contract at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

"It's my heaviest cry that this contractor who doesn't consider the lives of precious people in Ghana is going to kill all of us one day should he continue with his works without any proper checks."

"We were convinced to move from the old Central Market to this new Kejetia to save ourselves from the numerous disaster challenge we were facing. But I tell you, my brother, this new place has become very worst. We will continuously resist the works of this incompetent CONTRACTA until the right thing is done".

Mad. Patricia Acheampong, organiser for the Combined Kejetia Traders' Association adding her voice said traders are usually embittered by the rate at which subsequent governments take them for granted without considering their well-being.

She shockingly revealed how authorities had been compelling the traders to pay insurance that does not benefit them but only the authorities.

"Never did we ever know that we were paying insurance that does not benefit us, but the authorities. How can you make us pay insurance that does not cover us but the room we rent and you the rentee?" She quizzed.

The organiser revealed the association is set to seek legal advice from its lawyers for necessary steps to be taken.