Traders at the Tafo Moro Market in the Tafo Municipal area of Ashanti region have rejected the Old Tafo Municipal Assembly’s (OTMA) decision to relocate them for reconstruction of the market.
Guided by historical antecedents of abandoned market projects in Kumasi, the traders have lost confidence in the state officials, fearing they risk losing their place of livelihood if they agree to be relocated for onward construction of the project.
They cited the second phase of the Kejetia Market and the fifteen year-old Krofrom Market project, which are yet to be completed by the state as an example. They are also lamenting that the place they are being temporary sent to could only accommodate600 traders.
The World Bank is financing a GH¢10 million project, which falls under Ghana Secondary City Support Programme –a loan facility that Ghana has taken from the World Bank.
It aims to elevate 25 assemblies across Ghana to city status. Some of the beneficiaries in the Ashanti Region are;Old Tafo,Asokwa, Suame, Ahafo Ano North and Kwabre East.
Speaking to one of the aggrieved traders, Osei Kwaku, he explained to The Chronicle that their relocation for the World Bank Market to start came to their attention about two years ago, during the era of Alfred Obeng, former MCE for Old Tafo.
According to Owusu, it was agreed that the Municipal assembly would relocate them to St. Benedict R/C School at Tafo, but no modalities were put in place for this relocation exercise to be actualised.
‘We protested against the said project after we heard that it had been given to a local contractor”, he said.
This, according to him, put the case to rest and they were allowed to go about their normal duties, only to be told that government had secured funding from World Bank for the Market Project to commence.
Osei Kwaku indicated that a four-member committee was formed about two years ago to liaise with the assembly and the traders about the impending project, but regretted that the committee was not transparent to the traders.
Asked about the number of affected persons, Owusu could not give a definite figure, but stated that they are over three thousand traders and would not sit aloof for the four member committee to mess up with their source of livelihood.
Bashiru Gambo, the Assembly member for Tafo Nhyiaeso, during an interview with The Chronicle, confirmed the development saying it formed part of World Bank Project.
Gambo stated that the project should have taken off two years ago, but a misunderstanding came up and stalled it.
According to Gambo, in the initial agreement with the traders, the latter would only move to the temporary allocation only if the place has been prepared for them. He contended that the agreement was still pending and that the traders should not panic.
He indicated to this reporter that the project would go a long way to benefit the traders, since the Moro Market is not in a good shape.
When contacted on phone, Mr. Lord Inusah Lansah, the MCE, confirmed that the redevelopment of the Moro Market is becoming a challenge.
“It is becoming difficult to get the traders out of the place to start the project. Government receives all the bashing for not initiating development projects and yet when we embark on one too, we become enemies”, he lamented.
According to him, the Chief of Tafo summoned both parties to his palace, where he assured the traders that he would get a descent place for them before the project starts.
He argued that the Moro Market Project has been on the radar of the assembly for the past three years.
According to Lansah, the market was earmarked under UDG Two of the Ghana Secondary City Support Programme and should have started two years ago, but the market people rebelled against it to the extent of attacking workers of the assembly.
Inusah Lansah admitted that some market projects started in Kumasi have been stalled. He, however, told The Chronicle that what his outfit is about to initiate is different.
“First of all,if you are going to embark upon such a project,the first question that one needs to find out is what is the source of funding?
Whether the funds are available or not and under this programme, even before you start the programme, the money would be paid into the assembly’s account.”
According to him, under UDG Three, which is about to roll off , they have not even had concurrent approval from the RCC, but two weeks ago, the money, totalling $ 1.3 million, had been transferred into their account.
“When I came, that 300 meters storm drain was completed in three months;the 800km road was completed in six months and it is under this same programme that we are going to embark on this Moro Market and the total amount is GH¢10 million cedis”, the MCE said .
Fighting back allegation that OTMA intends to force them out of the place,Inusah, who used to be a broadcast journalist with Ashh FM, said his outfit had assured the traders that until the relocation has been done, the project would not start.
