The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development has directed temporal closure of the Kumasi Kejetia market until further notice.
This the ministry said will give the technical and security institutions conducting investigations into the fire incident which occurred last Wednesday, March 14th 2023 enough time to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.
The Kumasi Kejetia Market was on Wednesday 14th March 2023 evening gutted by fire destroying goods worth thousands of Ghana cedis.
The market was closed a day after the fire incident happened to make way for investigations to commence.
During a visit by a delegation from the Local Government Ministry, the Minister of State Designate in Charge of Local Government, Osei Bonsu Amoah, disclosed that the Ministry will set up a committee to probe the fire incident.
Mr. O.B Amoah directed that the market should remain closed until security agencies find it safe for it to be reopened.
He added that the market will continue to be closed until the security agencies and the investigators are done with their assessment.
“The initial closure period is three days but depending on the advice of the consultants and the stakeholders, it could go beyond three days; it could be a week, it could be three weeks, or even more, and for our safety we will extend the period to let the committee do its work,” he added.
The Mayor of Kumasi who was part of the team also assured that the Metropolitan Assembly will ensure that processes are done faster for the traders to return to work within the shortest possible time.
President of Federation of Kejetia Traders Association, Nana Kwasi Prempeh commended the local government ministry for demonstrating concern about the development in the Kejetia market.
He however, pleaded to the Local Government Ministry to give the Kejetia traders hearing opportunity at the committee sitting.
He further suggested that closing the entire market will affect their members economically and suggested the affected areas rather be closed to business.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Isaac Bediako
