Kejetia Market Reopens From Tuesday

The vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced traders of the Kumasi City Market Limited (KCML), popularly known as the new Kejetia Market, can resume trading activities from tomorrow.

This was after he inspected the market and the portion which was ravaged by fire last week and got briefings from experts. 

The market was shut from Thursday, March 16 when fire gutted a portion of it and destroyed 33 shops and their contents, injuring five in the process.

The closure of the market was on extended to Sunday and was later extended for a week.

This was protested by the traders from the market.

But during the visit of the vice President to the market, he disclosed the extension of the closure was for fears that the fire emanated from electrical faults, however, the officers from the Ghana National Fire Service established the fire came from a cylinder which was being used to prepare a meal in one of the shops.

He said close-by shops with inflammable goods facilitated its spread and the destruction thereby.

The veep noted that the market will be reopened for the traders to ply their businesses from Tuesday, March 21.

“I’m here to console you. We share in your pain. I have visited the scene, 33 shops were affected”, he addressed the crowd.

He also commended Fire Service and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for their swift response to the fire incident.

According to him, the government will support all affected traders when the report of the investigation is ready. 

He also assured that every recommendation of the investigations will be applied.

On his part, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah, who was a staunch advocate for the closure of the market complex for further assessment, thanked the traders for their cooperation.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini