Kumasi traders begin relocation ahead of ultimatum

Traders and hawkers plying their businesses within the main commercial areas of Kumasi have started relocating hours ahead of the expiry of the two-week ultimatum given them by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, (RCC), to them to vacate all unauthorized places.

About two weeks ago, the RCC, in a statement signed and issued by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, gave traders and hawkers doing business at certain places in the Kumasi up to the close of business of today, Monday November 6, to leave those places before any drastic steps are taken to forcibly eject them from tomorrow, Tuesday November 7.

Among the places specifically mentioned by the RCC were the Suame Roundabout and the frontage of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

A visit by Radio Ghana's Correspondent to such places last week showed that while traders and hawkers had already relocated from the frontal of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital days to the deadline, their colleagues plying their trade at the Suame Roundabout were not even aware of Today’s ultimatum.

A walk through the main business areas of the city on Monday morning indicated that traders have begun vacating areas such as "Dr. Mensah", "S.A.T.", frontage of the Kumasi Central Market and the Roman Hill.

This has substantially reduced congestion within these areas thereby improving human and vehicular movement and the associated problems.

The relocation is without any official supervision but there was no apparent resistance by the traders.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly last week told GBC’s Garden City Radio in an interview that the Assembly has also being engaging all the key stakeholders in the decongestion including the leadership of the various traders groups, transport unions and the traditional leadership of Kumasi to ensure a successful relocation of the traders and transport operators.

The KMA’s Public Relations Officer, Godwin Nyame mentioned the upgraded erstwhile Race Course and the Afua Serwaa Kobi Ampem Market as some of the business areas prepared for the traders and hawkers to relocate.

GBC’s Garden City Radio’s visit to those places confirmed that there are enough spaces to accommodate the traders.

It is believed that the decongestion is also part of preparations being carried out by the authorities ahead of the two-week final funeral rites for the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem which begins on December 1, 2017.