Racecourse Traders to Petition Asantehene Over Govt Neglect

Traders at the Racecourse market are demanding the completion of phase two of the Kumasi Central Market project, expressing disappointment over the government’s failure to meet completion deadlines.

The Combined Kumasi Central Market Traders Union, comprising traders from various groups, is lamenting challenges hindering trading activities at the Racecourse market.

The leadership of the various trader groups says it will seek the intervention of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to lead a fundraising campaign to help complete the abandoned project.

The traders, clad in red bands, threaten to vote out the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for what they say is the government’s continuous neglect of the development of the Ashanti Region.

The Secretary of the Combined Kumasi Central Market Traders Union, Emelia Kwofie, said that the NPP government has taken the traders as a ‘joke’ and keeps telling lies to them; therefore, they can’t take it anymore because the government has been exposed, as per the previous explanation given to the traders.

“This is the stronghold of the NPP; we were counting on them to work for us; that is why we voted them into power. Unfortunately, the Ashanti Region is disappointed; Kumasi is disappointed; traders of the combined Central Market union are disappointed, and so we are going to act now,” she lamented.

Emelia Kwofie also pleaded with the overlord of the Ashanti kiKingdom Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to step in immediately to raise funds to complete the government-abandoned Central Market project.

“This is the time for us to send our petition to the King of the Land. Nana has risen; seeing things are not working in the Ashanti Region, we have seen him rise to heal Komfo Anokye, so we are appealing to Santiman wura to raise and resurrect the Central Market. The NPP government has killed the Central Market; NPP has decided to kill trade and businesses in the Ashanti Region.”

Story by Nana Kwaku Boffah.