The government’s decision to abandon the Kejetia Phase 2 project has been met with disappointment by the Kumasi Central Market Traders and Second Hand Clothes Union.
They claim that a shortage of funding caused the project to stall, although the government has since received two tranches of funding from the International Monetary Fund, which should have allowed it to proceed.
Unknown circumstances caused the Brazilian construction company Contracta to abruptly fire all of its employees in December 2022, leaving just the foundation of the building standing.
According to a press release, they learned that the project was put on hold because of the Debt Restructuring Program when they asked questions.
They asserted that in order for the government to carry out the project, traders were requested to vacate the site. Due to a lack of a suitable location to conduct business, some traders are forced to operate outside in the sweltering weather, and others have lost customers as a result.
Since they saw the Ashanti Region as an NPP stronghold, they criticized the government, saying it could have done better.
The sod cutting ceremony for the second phase of the Kumasi Central Market renovation was performed on May 2, 2019, by Nana Addo Dankwah and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, signifying the start of construction.