The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti region has condemned the demolition of the Abinkyi market and questioned the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for what they describe as their reluctance and lack of concern about the issue.
Addressing the press in Kumasi, the NDC Communications Officer for the Subin constituency, Samuel Owusu Mensah, empathised with the traders and urged them to vote for the NDC under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama, who has their interests at heart and would reconstruct the market for them to ply their business without fear or intimidation.
“The country is inflicted with many economic challenges, including high indebtedness, high interest rates, a high cost of living, the depreciation of the Cedi, unemployment, unprecedented corruption, and more. People are suffering, and the actions of those in power have relegated their sworn duties to the background while citizens continue to wallow in abject poverty and stress.”
“Why should the KMA sit on the fence while people lose their means of livelihood through such a barbaric, disdainful, and inconsiderate act meted out to innocent people who do everything possible to put body and soul together? The NDC promises to rebuild the Afia Kobi market, where marketers will feel more secure and go about their normal business without fear or intimidation,” he stated.
According to the traders, the market was demolished by a private developer who now claims ownership of the land where they have their shops.
They indicate that they had bought the shops from a different private developer who is now deceased, and their documents were authenticated by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
Before the demolition, the traders said efforts to seek answers from the KMA on the notice of evacuation proved futile, as they met the absence of the mayor on several occasions.
Over 700 shops in the market were thus demolished by the private developer on Saturday, July 20, 2024, between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m.
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