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Kumasi : Traders of Asafo Market appeal to gov't to reconstruct burnt shops

By Wendy Amarteifio
Asafo Market
Kumasi:Traders of Asafo Market appeal to gov't to reconstruct burnt shops
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Traders whose shops were gutted by the fire at the Asafo Market are appealing to the government to provide them with financial support to enable them to reconstruct their burnt shops to start their businesses again.

The fire incident which occurred at the Asafo market just a day after a similar one at the Kumasi central market destroyed a number of shops.

Shops including hairdressing salons, jewellery shops, printing shops among others were heavily affected.

In an interview with Citi News traders whose container shops were gutted say they want the government to provide them with financial support to help them start their businesses again.

“We have lost a lot, so we need the government to help us and restructure this place for us so that we can have a better place to trade.”

Another trader also said: “We need loans from the government so that we will be able to re-build our stores and containers”.

“My plea is that the authorities should come to our aid. We would be grateful if they come and assist us with money or help us raise our shops”, another trader said.

Ghanaians, especially in the Ashanti Region in the past three days have witnessed various fire incidents within the Kumasi metropolis.

On Friday night, April 19, 2019, the Kumasi Central market was up in flames, while some parts of the Asafo Market caught fire the next day, April 20 leading to the destruction of several properties. Another inferno occurred in the market on April 21, Sunday.

The Ashanti Regional chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked the government to without delay reopen the Kejetia Market for traders.

The NDC which made the call in a statement to commiserate with those lost their properties in the fire incident argued that the fire could have been averted if the government had opened the newly built Kejetia Market completed by the Mahama administration for business.

Below are excerpts of the statement

“On behalf of the taxpayer, the suffering masses and all victims of these market fires, we demand an immediate opening of the Kejetia Market for use to pave way for a speedy construction of the Central Market as planned and started by the John Mahama administration to prevent further pain and agony to the ordinary Ghanaian.”Meanwhile, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has said that it will not allow victims of Friday night’s fire outbreak at the Kumasi Central Market to rebuild their structures yet''.

“However, It is regrettable to note that, while our mothers and other market operators continue to suffer from perennial market fires, the Akufo Addo led Administration has borrowed over 70billion Ghana Cedis with no market initiated and constructed over the past two years in power in the Ashanti Region,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has said that it will not allow victims of Friday night’s fire outbreak at the Kumasi Central Market to rebuild their structures yet.

According to the Assembly, the government will soon break ground for the commencement of the second phase of the Central Market Redevelopment project.

In an interview with Citi News the Assembly's Chief Executive, Osei Assibey Antwi said:

“Currently, no, we will not allow them to rebuild shelters because very soon all this place will be under construction but we will wait for assessment from NADMO”.

 

READ ALSO : 

Kumasi: Asafo Market needs immediate reconstruction-NADMO

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