Traders who ply their trade in the market told Pure FM’s Osei Kwadwo that it is a usual occurrence whenever it rains.
According to them, they have raised the issue with both the contractor and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) but they have turned deaf ears to their complaints.
“Anytime it rains, this market becomes flooded and it is affecting business activities in the market.
“Sometimes, we have to wait for 2 hours before we can open our shops after a heavy downpour. The contractor and the KMA have failed to address our grievances,” some traders are quoted to have said.
The chairman of the Kumasi Petty Traders Association Nana Akwasi Prempeh blamed the problem on the contractor of the market, adding that the leadership of his association would meet to determine the way forward after assessing the extent of the damage.
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The Kejetia market was not the only place that got flooded after the short period of rain within the Kumasi Central Business District. Reports say Adum, Roman Hill, Pampaso and Alaba also had their share of the flooding.
The construction of phase one of the Kejetia market which was valued at US$259,425,000 started in 2015 by the John Dramani Mahama government and was opened in 2016.
The first phase of the project included an ultra-modern market with 8,420 stores, a clinic, a police station, a social and recreational centre, an ICT centre and a post office, a fire post, banks and a day-care centre. It was completed in late 2018.
Then, his successor, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the second phase on 2 May 2019 which was estimated to cost 248 million financed by Deutsche Bank of Germany with credit guarantee from UK Export finance to be completed within a time frame of 48 months.
When completed the market will have 6500 leased stores commercially, 5,400 stores closed, 800 kiosks, 50 restaurants, 40 livestock stores, 210 fishmonger and butcher spaces and community facilities of 1,800 square meters. It is estimated to cover a total area of 172,197 square meters.