Kejetia Market: Traders want construction firm investigated over shoddy work

Traders at the newly built Kejetia Market in Kumasi want authorities to investigate the activities of the construction firm that executed the project.

According to the traders, Contracta, the Brazilian company that executed the project did a great disservice to the country as the newly built market still have structural defects exposing traders and buyers to serious hazards.

On March 14, heavy rains caused havoc at the facility leaving many shops flooded and properties destroyed, a situation which has worsened their plight.

Press Conference

At a press conference on Wednesday, March 24, the union of traders said attempts to get authorities to fix the challenge have yielded little results.

“We all know that with this new market we shouldn’t record any flooding. But of late when the rains set in the market becomes flooded destroying our wares and this is affecting our business”, said Nana Akwasi Prempeh who is with the Kejetia Market Traders Association.

“Even the administration block of the company gets flooded when it rains”, Nana Prempeh wondered.

Other demands

The traders also mentioned lack of access routes to the market, non-functional lift, emissions from vehicles, non-availability of gas for food vendors, increasing electricity bills and high service charges.

“A whole facility with over 7,200 shops connected to one meter and that will definitely affect bills. We have gone to the Electricity Company of Ghana and they have confirmed that we can use our own meter systems but I don’t know why authorities are dragging their feet for us to start the process”, Nana Prempeh told reporters.

“So we are by this press conference alerting the city authorities, the management and other stakeholders that we will close down our shops and hit the streets if all these names faults are not corrected in two weeks”, he added.