From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi.
Attempts by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to evict traders and tram operators at the main Kejetia terminal to pave way for the official commencement of the Kejetia Redevelopment Project, ended in fiasco yesterday.
A joint police/military team that stormed the terminal to oversee the eviction of traders and transport operators to the Abinkyi Satellite Market encountered fierce resistance from the traders, who protested against the action of the city authorities.
The City Mayor, Mr. Kojo Bonsu, was said to have led a team of heavily armed police and military personnel at dawn, and put several stores under lock and key, to pave way for the ejection of traders doing businesses at the terminal.
The heavily armed security personnel were also said to have dispersed the traders who had gathered to demonstrate through the principal streets and later present a petition to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The KMA is set to commence the construction of a redevelopment project that will transform both the Kejetia and the main Central Market to an ultra-modern facility, through a $300 million facility secured from the Brazilian government.
But the assembly appears to encounter resistance from occupants of the terminal, who have sworn not to leave the place, where they have for several years been plying their trade. According to the traders, the KMA acted arbitrarily without proper consultation with all the major stakeholders, and, therefore, decided to protest against the exercise.
They contend that Mr. Kojo Bonsu was rushing into evicting them from the terminal, because, according to the Spokesperson of the Concerned Traders and Drivers Association, Daniel Twumasi, both the President and the Asantehene had interceded on their behalf. Daniel Twumasi, therefore, noted that they are surprised at the intransigent position of the KMA Chief Executive, who they accused of acting unilaterally.