Kumasi residents have been short changed over redesigning of Kejetia market - Yamin

The Former Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Joseph Yamin has lashed out at the Akufo-Addo’s government for changing the content of the Kejetia redevelopment project.

The government has altered the content of the project where only 110 cars can have access to the lorry terminal. The space designated for a lorry terminal for drivers has been converted into stores.

But speaking on Abusua FM’s Abusua Nkommo hosted by Kwame Adinkra, Mr Yamin argued that residents in the Kumasi metropolis have been short-changed in the redesigning of the project.

He stated that the Akufo-Addo’s government has deceived residents saying the redesigning of Kejetia market will be at the disadvantage of drivers.

‘Kumasi residents have been short changed, some people are taking undue advantage of the power bestowed on them,’ he said.

The Former Deputy Coordinator for NADMO indicated that it was needless for the government to alter the drawings after the erstwhile Mahama administration painstakingly secured a loan to build the facility.

He said the government will be depriving the drivers of their livelihoods anticipating that majority of the drivers will be unemployed.

He warned the government not to point accusing fingers at members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) when the drivers start to agitate saying they will face them boot for boot if they dare.

As it stands now, the Kumasi Mayor Charles Osei Assibey Antwi and the Assembly are converting the space designated as lorry terminal into stores, they have finished converting part of the space. The Akufo-Addo’s government should not accuse members of NDC when the drivers start to agitate.

Let’s state on record that the redesigning was not done by the NDC, so its not the NDC which is limiting the number of cars but its rather the NPP which took over power some months ago.

You are redesigning the facility to the disadvantage of drivers and traders. I am told only one hundred cars will have access to the lorry terminal, almost 1,000 cars will not be contained there, when 1,000 vehicles used to park there, how,’ he asked.

He asked why the government assumed that people will be more interested in buying from the shops than how they will access cars back to their various homes and offices.

Mr Yamin wondered why the Akufo-Addo’s government tampered with the content of the project designed by the erstwhile Mahama administration after objecting to the redevelopment of the facility.

The Ashanti regional chairman hopeful accused members of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) from frustrating the commissioning process in November 2016.

He claimed the former President John Dramani Mahama was prevented from commissioning the project in November.

‘The NPP government said we should allow the project to be completed before commissioning it, but its taking them forever to finish the project, are we saying we cannot complete the project until next year before the drivers can use the terminals,’ he asked.