We’ll campaign against NPP if abandoned markets are not completed – Kumasi traders warn

Traders in Kumasi and surrounding areas have issued a warning to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, criticizing their neglect of certain market projects.

The traders noted that for the last six months, progress on various market projects in the region has ceased, following the government's decision to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

They identified four market projects that have been left incomplete, namely the Krofrom Market, Mamponteng Market, Santasi Market, and Phase Two of the Kejetia Market.

“We, the entirety of traders in the Kumasi and its environs, including the Second-hand Cloth Sellers Association, Santasi Traders Union, Suame Magazine Workers Union, Mamponteng Traders Association, Central Market Traders Association, Kumasi Lotto Sellers Association, have jointly decided to initiate a campaign against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 general election if the government fails to complete all the abandoned markets in the Ashanti Region, including the much-awaited Phase Two of the Kejetia Market,” portions of the statement read.

We, the entirety of traders in the Kumasi and its environs, including the Second-hand Cloth Sellers Association, Santasi Traders Union, Suame Magazine Workers Union, Mamponteng Traders Association, Central Market Traders Association, Kumasi Lotto Sellers Association, have jointly decided to initiate a campaign against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 general election if the government fails to complete all the abandoned markets in the Ashanti Region, including the much-awaited Phase Two of the Kejetia Market.

Over the past one year, six months, progress on these projects has come to a halt due to the renegotiation of a loan agreement following the country’s decision to opt for a financial bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while other markets including Mamponteng market, Krofrom market and Santasi market has been abandoned since former President Kufuor era2

If our demand did not yield any result, we the aforementioned traders together with Asanteman Youth Union will joined the five days demonstration by our brothers and sisters of Central Market and second hand cloth sellers to demonstrate against the government.