Kumasi Market Traders Appeal to Contracta Not to Close Office Amid Kejetia Phase II Delays
The Combined Kumasi Central Market Traders Union has made an urgent appeal to Contracta Construction Company not to shut down its Kumasi office, warning that such a move could effectively abandon the long-stalled Kejetia Phase II Market Project and leave thousands of traders in limbo.
The appeal comes amid prolonged funding delays from government that have brought work on the ambitious market redevelopment to a standstill. According to the traders, Contracta’s reported plans to close its regional office could result in the permanent abandonment of several projects in the Ashanti Region, with the Kejetia Phase II redevelopment being the most consequential.
Speaking to the media after presenting a petition to a Contracta consultant at the company’s office, the Union Secretary, Madam Emelia Kwofie, expressed deep concern over the development. She noted that traders who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the Kejetia Phase II project have become increasingly anxious about its future following reports of a possible closure.
Many of the traders, Madam Kwofie explained, had sacrificed their trading spaces and primary sources of livelihood to make way for the project’s commencement. The prospect of the construction company withdrawing from Kumasi has therefore generated considerable fear and uncertainty among the market community.
Despite the challenges, the Union commended Contracta for its commitment and solidarity with market traders throughout the years, urging the company not to lose hope or withdraw its presence from the city. It is based on this long-standing relationship and mutual respect that the traders humbly appealed for the Kumasi office to remain open, Madam Kwofie stated.
The traders emphasised that Contracta’s Kumasi office serves as the only official channel through which they receive updates, seek clarification, and engage with the company on project-related matters. Closing it, they argued, would sever communication between the company and the thousands of traders who continue to wait patiently for the project’s completion.
The Kejetia Phase II Market Project is part of a broader effort to modernise trading infrastructure in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city and the commercial hub of the Ashanti Region. The project has faced repeated setbacks, largely attributed to delays in the disbursement of government funds, which traders say have placed enormous financial pressure on the construction firm and contributed significantly to the project’s stagnation.
Receiving the petition on behalf of Contracta, Emmanuel Kwadwo Danso, a consultant for the company, assured the traders that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for urgent consideration. He urged them to remain calm and optimistic, noting that efforts were underway to address the project’s challenges.
Mr Danso told the traders that the head of Contracta was currently abroad but that the petition would be received in good faith, urging them to remain calm and hopeful that conditions would improve.
The situation highlights the broader challenges facing infrastructure development in Ghana, where funding delays frequently derail public projects and leave communities in prolonged uncertainty. For the traders of Kumasi Central Market, the stakes could not be higher: their livelihoods depend on the successful completion of the Kejetia Phase II project, and the closure of Contracta’s office would represent a devastating blow to their hopes.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
