Otumfuo backs KMA relocation exercise

No mean a personality than the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the overlord of Asanteman, has declared his unflinching support for Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s (KMA) relocation of traders in the city.

This important information was disclosed to the media in Kumasi by the Bantamahene, Baffuor Owusu Amankwatia VI, who is the traditional warrior of the Asante King, and for that matter, the Asante Kingdom.

The traditional leader stated that the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC), which is led by the Asantehene, is convinced that the immediate relocation of the traders from the streets and pavements is what Kumasi urgently needs, now.

He therefore was not happy about calls by a certain group in the ruling government, for the dismissal of the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, from office, for carrying out the important relocation exercise.

It would be recalled that the Concerned NPP Traders Association issued a press release in which they called for the head of the Kumasi Mayor, who they accused of destroying their businesses with the relocation exercise.

The Bantama Chief stated categorically that the group’s claim that the relocation exercise was destroying their businesses has no basis, arguing that the KMA had duly refurbished all the satellite markets in the city for the traders.

The respected traditional leader wondered why the said-group, having refused to move to the Race Course and other satellite markets, refurbished by the KMA in the city, could turn around and falsely accused the hard working mayor.

According to him, the Kumasi chiefs, led by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, wants to see Kumasi properly developed and they see Mr Osei Assibey as being on the right track, with regards to developing the Kumasi into a modern city.

Baffuor Amankwatia stated that Kumasi belongs to Otumfuo “and as chiefs when we speak, we speak with the weight and respect of the noble King. We are therefore saying that the Kumasi Mayor’s relocation exercise is very good for Kumasi”.

He said all the distractive tactics by people, who appreciate lawlessness, to stop the relocation exercise of the traders from the streets and pavements, would not materialize because the chiefs in Kumasi are behind the KMA.

Meanwhile, the Kejetia Elephant Movement Association, led by their Chairman, Simon Adjei, has urged the government to reject calls by the hurriedly-formed so-called Concerned NPP Traders Association, for the mayor to be sacked.

They said the Kumasi Mayor is working tirelessly to positively change the face of Kumasi and so if the so-called Concerned NPP Traders Association had the interest of the NPP and the government at heart, they would have supported the mayor.

Mr. Adjei stated that they have realized that some moles want to sneak into the NPP and cause distraction to government appointees like Mr. Osei Assibey, who is working hard, so as to give the NPP administration a bad name.

The Kejetia Elephant Movement Association stated that all the traders that want the NPP government, notably President Akufo-Addo, to succeed, had moved from the streets and pavements to the Race Course and other satellite markets.

According to them, they are aware of the splendid works of Mr Osei Assibey so they would not allow any diabolic group to wrongly accuse the hard working mayor, saying that they would expose all the anti-NPP groups.