The Kejetia Petty Traders Association has held a solemn memorial service to mark the 10th anniversary of the passing of over 100 of its members, many of whom reportedly died while struggling to make a living under harsh and unsafe trading conditions.
The memorial, held within the Kejetia enclave, brought together traders, bereaved families, and association leaders who used the occasion to highlight their ongoing plight.
Speaking to the media, the Chairman of the Association, Emmanuel Kwarteng, lamented the decline in their membership from 2,283 to just 793 due to the difficult circumstances many have faced over the years.
He revealed that out of the 793 current members, only 160 traders have been allocated permanent spaces in the redeveloped Kejetia Market, while the remaining 632 members continue to trade in unsafe roadside and open spaces, exposed to the elements.
“This frustration, hardship, and the lack of proper places to trade have sadly contributed to the deaths of over 100 of our members. It is painful and heartbreaking,” he said.
Kwarteng stressed that the traders are lawful and significant contributors to Kumasi’s development, consistently paying daily KMA trading fees of GH¢3.
“We have never defaulted in paying our trading tickets. We deserve better. We are appealing to the government, President John Dramani Mahama, the Ashanti Regional Minister, and the Kumasi Mayor to intervene,” he pleaded.
Some traders who spoke during the event shared emotional stories of the daily risks they face.
“We trade in the rain, under the sun, and sometimes narrowly escape accidents on the roadside. All we ask is a safe and decent place to sell our goods,” one member said.
The association is urging authorities to consider their long-standing contribution to the city and ensure they are fairly included in the allocation of stores under the Kejetia Redevelopment Phase Two Project.