Kumasi traders petition Otumfuo to sack mayor

Over 400 traders from the Kumasi City Market Traders Association have launched a massive campaign to get the mayor of Kumasi, Osei Assibey Antwi, out even before the president decides on his fate.

The group has since petitioned the Overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as they describe the conduct of the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) as “gross incompetence”.

Speaking on GhanAkoma, a political and current affairs talk show General Secretary of the Association Richard Boamah accused the mayor of a schemed attempt by his office to shortchange the traders after he failed to allocate them with temporary stalls.

He told host of the show Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin that “the mayor is incompetent to the extent that he has failed in the simple exercise of relocating traders from Central Market to make way for the second phase of the Kejetia Redevelopment [Project]”.

He further added that “we have called on the Otumfuo to intervene because the livelihood of over 400 traders are at stake and we cannot risk it because of one person’s negligence”.

The over 400 aggrieved traders had earlier secured a court order, restraining the Assembly from relocating traders until proper alternative space is assured.

“We believe petitioning the Asantehene is a step in the right direction and we know he will put matters to rest,” Richard Boamah added.