Halt allocation of Kotokuraba Market Stores – Assembly Members
A group of concerned Assembly members at the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) has called on the allocation committee to halt with immediate effect the allocation of the Kotokuraba Market stores.
They claimed the market stores were being sold to some people who were not original occupants of the old market and said that was a contravention to the laws of the Assembly and the initial agreement with traders before the demolition.
Speaking at a press conference in Cape Coast on Monday, Mr. George Justice Arthur spokesperson for the group expressed discontent with the distribution processes and therefore called on the Regional Minister Mr. Kwamena Duncan to stay away from the distribution of the stores and allow due processes to follow.
The group indicated that the authorities at the Assembly being the sole owner of the facility, was not consulted on the allocation and procedures to guarantee fairness in its distribution.
“We the entire members of the CCMA were not informed about the procedures and formalities for the sharing of the new market stores hence the allocation must be brought back to the Assembly for proper deliberation to be done to ensure fairness in distribution.’’
The Concerned members wearing red armbands expressed their determination to use every legitimate means to ensure transparency, probity and accountability regarding the distribution of the stores.
The Assembly members accused authorities of selling the market stores to foreigners particularly Nigerians who had already occupied most of the patronized stores in the metropolis.
The group however, threatened a mammoth and unprecedented demonstration and a subsequent court action if all persuasive negotiations to settle the issue amicably failed.
Some aggrieved traders, mostly women, also threatened to embark on series of demonstrations if the market distribution was not stopped.
The traders said their conditions of living kept worsening by the day because they do not have places to sell their wares.
‘’We can no longer feed our families and provide the needs of our children because we have nowhere to sell. We were promised of getting our stores back before the demolition but they have now sold them to their cronies.’’
Source: GNA