The Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Boadi Agyemang, has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of urging traders at the Adum Blue Light area to defy a directive issued by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Ashanti Regional Minister.
According to Boadi Agyemang, he alleged that members of the NPP are instigating the affected traders to create unrest at the site of the fire incident, which destroyed shops and caused significant damage, prompting the deployment of military personnel to the area.
“It is the NPP who are urging them on to disrespect the orders of the Kumasi Traditional Council which was given to the Honourable Regional Minister that we must do a technical assessment of the situation and report the outcome to Otumfuo,” he stated.
He explained that the donation activities, particularly by former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP minority caucus, Kennedy Agyapong, and other personalities distributing cement to the traders, are disrespectful and goes contrary to the orders of the Kumasi Traditional Council.
This, he says is especially concerning given that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fire incident by the Ghana National Fire Service have not yet been concluded.
“I am not a technical person, but people equipped with the technical law have done an assessment of the various structures and the recommendation is that if we don’t demolish it, we have set a death trap for whoever goes to occupy it. What brought about the disaster you are compounding it now, you understand? But you see it has come about as a result of indiscipline on the part of politicians,” he said in an interview with Channel One.
He continued, “You have the whole former vice president who goes to the site knowing that the property belongs to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. He left government not more than five months ago and he goes to donate thousand bags of cement to the victims at the site. If you go to somebody’s burnt house and there’s a tenant and a landowner and you want to give cement for reconstruction, between the tenant and the landowner, who should you give the cement to? You go and give it to the tenant.
“What do you want the tenant to use a cement to do? Bryan Acheampong goes there to do same, the national executives of the NPP comes and they also do same so, when you give cement to leadership over there, they would want to be seen by their members as having utilised the various cement that has been given them, so nobody accuses them of having used it for their personal benefit.”
Boadi Agyemang also stated that the NPP should be called to order to allow for the proper reconstruction of the market, adding that a report is yet to be submitted to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for advice on the next steps to take regarding the market.
“Otumfuo traveled and came yesterday. We have not submitted the report to him but the NPP is the party that is urging them on to do this. And I believe somebody should call them to order. We cannot do anything without the direction and advice of Otumfuo. So what is happening there? What are they urging them to do? To disrespect who the land belongs to?” he queried.
He condemned the actions of some traders who demolished a barricade set up to secure the area for investigations.
He further cautioned traders to refrain from constructing illegal structures without the proper permit from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
“We barricaded the place yesterday and they have gone to demolish it. Nobody’s been given any permit to reconstruct a building there. If you reconstruct it and you keep a property in there, one day you will come and the structure will not be there. That’s a crime scene and investigations are being conducted by the Ghana National Fire Service. Yes, it’s not complete but let everybody stop any activity that is being done without any proper authorization or permit by the KMA,” he concluded.
There were reports of heightened tensions at the Adum Blue Light enclave when traders entered the premises to continue their trade, defying orders. This led to the deployment of armed military personnel to the scene.
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