Kumasi traders jubilate over Kojo Bonsu’s resignation

Scores of traders at the Kumasi Central Market are excited over the exit of the beleaguered Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Kojo Bonsu.

According to the traders, the former KMA Mayor has been a thorn in their flesh ever since he took office in 2013, as he has been high handed in dealing with them.

Kojo Bonsu tendered in his resignation Tuesday afternoon after holding a meeting with a section of the assembly members to inform them of his decision.

He has recently come under intense pressure from the Council for disrespecting them after he unilaterally removed the Chief of Amoaman, Nana Agyenim Boateng, who was Otumfuo’s representative on the board of the Kajetia Market project, which is currently under construction without informing the king about his action.

Otumfuo nominated the chief to represent him after issues of corruption and embezzlement of funds was leveled against Kojo Bonsu.

The project has become a centre of controversy in recent times after claims that the Mayor had allegedly inflated prices of shops in the yet-to-be completed Project.

The Asanteman Council, in demonstrating its level of annoyance over the lack of respect for the Great King about a fortnight ago, slaughtered a sheep and summoned the KMA boss to appear before the Council last Monday to answer certain queries brought against him.

He, however, failed to turn up claiming he was sick, and rather had the Regional Minister, Alexander Ackon represent him.

The chiefs considered his inability to appear before them as being disrespectful to them.

President John Mahama last week visited the Ashanti Region for a crunch meeting over the continuing stand off between the Kojo Bonsu and the Manhyia Palace. He met with the Regional Coordinating Council to speak to the ongoing issue.

However the Asanteman Council remained resolute in their rejection of Kojo Bonsu and yesterday (Monday) issued a one-week ultimatum to President Mahama to remove the Mayor insisting they are unable to work with him.

The Chairman of the Kumasi Central Market Traders Association, Andrews Kwoffie in an interview with sit-in-host Akwesi Nsiah on Si Me So on Kasapa 102.5 FM, stated that traders cannot hide their joy over Kojo Bonsu’s resignation.

“His exit is indeed a good riddance, we have never had a healthy relationship with him as he has been very unfair to traders. He has evicted over a thousand traders from Kejetia, Tafo and Asawase denying them of their source of livelihood. If he’s gone it is good news for us, we have had enough of him. We want someone who will respect us and treat us like human beings.

He has started allocating the uncompleted stores to certain people at a cost of GHC 25,000. How on earth can the ordinary trader acquire one of these stores? Kojo Bonsu has no mercy,” Andrews Kwoffie fumed.