Chairman of the Federation of Kumasi Traders, Nana Prempeh, has raised serious concerns, traders at the Kejetia Market particularly those at the ground floor are exposed to poisonous vehicular fumes.
He made the disturbing observation in an interview with Kojo Marfo on AbusuaNkommo at ABUSUA965FM.
According to Nana Prempeh, the extractors installed to absorb these gases from the huge number of commercial vehicles using peripheral roads around the market, are not functioning.
“You can see and smell the smoke from the items the traders sell. Traders are there every day, inhaling the fumes from the cars. The extractors are supposed to be on 24/7 to absorb all the gases, but that’s not the case. They don’t even switch them on,” he said.
Fire Safety
Nana Prempeh further noted that the market remained at risk of fires as smoke and fire detectors in the Kejetia Market are not functioning.
“Let’s go to the market and set up something to generate smoke and see how many detectors and smoke alarms will work. The Ghana National Fire Service knows things are not working, but they are being diplomatic,” he stressed.
He also disclosed that most of the water hoses that support firefighting within the market are leaking, and the Ghana National Fire Service, which has a fire post in the facility, should take note.
“I challenge the Ghana Fire Service to deny that even the current holes within the market, 70% leak, and only 30% are effective. Water can’t pass through them effectively,” he pointed out.
He questioned why the facility continues to face security breaches and abuse when traders are billed with every expense including paying for the security of the facility.
“We pay them, to patrol within the market, with morning and evening shifts. We went for a meeting, and our Chairman on the Environmental committee informed us that where the contractors even don’t want hand push trolley with heavy loads to pass, somebody passes there with a car pickup. Meanwhile, that entrance should have a security officer. So, the question is, what work are the security officers doing?” he questioned.
Parrying criticisms that the union leaders had not played their role educating the traders, Nana Prempeh explained that the leaders can only advocate and hope traders would voluntarily comply.
“We, the leaders of the traders union, can’t impose sanctions on our members. We can only report their actions to the management for decisions to be taken. They didn’t take the stores from us, so on what authority are we sanctioning them? Besides, joining a union is a voluntary exercise; if the trader decides not to join, nobody can force him or her,” he explained.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kwadwo Owusu
