By: Rachel Kakraba
Leadership of the Pedestrian Shopping Mall around the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra, have threatened to overtake all major pavements at the central business district if they do not see any progress of work at the site of the market which was gutted by fire two years ago.
The traders who also said they intend to take the reconstruction of the market into their hands expressed disappointment at the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly for doing little to ensure the market is reconstructed.
“We have realized the assembly has disappointed us and they have nothing to offer us. Anytime we make a follow-up we are told it will be constructed but it has taken forever”.
The Pedestrian Shopping Mall was razed by fire in November 2020 affecting the livelihoods of the thousands of traders to sell there.
Speaking in an interview with GBC NEWS, Chairperson of the Pedestrian Shopping Mall Traders Association, Veronica Boakye, noted the condition under which they currently trade is precarious and accused authorities for neglect.
“We will not continue to trade in this market for the thieves to take advantage of us and be overwhelmed by floods. We will remain selling on the pavement until we get some good Samaritan to construct it for us”
Reacting to the threats, the Municipal Chief Executive of Korle Klottey, Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah, appealed to the traders to exercise some restraint.
He said the market is situated in a flood prone area and some major works have to be done on the drains before construction of the market could start.
This he said is in the best interest of the traders and must cooperate with the assembly.
“If we say we are going to build the market and demolish then the design has to be done in a way that will be beneficial to all. We can’t just come and put brick and mortar there. Designs has to be done, it has to meet safety standards.”
“The law only gives the right of setting up markets to the assemblies. I know they are pressed or they are under pressure but they have to understand that the sort of market that will give them the safety that they are seeking is not something that they can just put blocks on the ground and then say that you’ve built the market, so we will appeal to them to exercise patience, Mr. Tawiah added.
