Kejetia MD promises individual meters by end of 2026 to resolve billing crisis

The Managing Director of Kumasi City Market, Ernest Afayam, has given a firm assurance that plans are far advanced to provide individual electricity meters to all traders at the Kejetia Market who wish to have them. He pledged that the distribution of these meters will be completed by the end of 2026.

Afayam made the commitment during his first official stakeholder forum at the Kejetia Dubai section of the market, convened to address persistent electricity challenges affecting business operations.

Traders at Kejetia have long struggled under a centralised billing system that forces the entire market to operate on a single meter. This arrangement has led to widespread frustration over inflated and unfair electricity charges that do not reflect individual consumption.

While previous attempts to introduce individual metering were stalled by leadership transitions, Afayam said the current management is prioritising a lasting solution.

“We are in active discussions with the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), King Zuba, to expedite the installation of individual meters. We are optimistic that by the end of 2026, we will have made significant progress in transitioning every trader to their own meter,” he said.

The forum provided a platform for traders to express dissatisfaction with current billing practices, which many described as confusing and unsustainable. In response, management pledged to ensure transparency in bill calculations and to strengthen collaboration with the trading community.

To sustain engagement, the Managing Director announced that similar consultative forums will be held every three to six months to ensure accountability and keep traders informed of policy developments. This assurance followed a request from the Queen Mother of Kejetia, Nana Yaa Foriwaa, who called for such meetings to be held at least every six months.

Nana Anim Akari, Otumfuo Atipin Nifahene and President of the Ghana Traditional Caterers Association, welcomed the commitment but stressed the urgency of the situation. “We need a swift resolution by year-end,” he urged, noting that frequent power outages and billing inconsistencies continue to affect caterers and other businesses.

The Chairman of Kumasi City Market (Kejetia), Johnson Ankrah, who led the organisation of the forum, acknowledged that the shared billing system has been a major source of conflict and misinformation.

He expressed hope that the new roadmap for individual metering would restore trust between market management and the thousands of traders who depend on the facility for their livelihoods.