On Monday, this week, we carried a story about the motion that has been filed at a Kumasi High court by some traders at the Central Market seeking to stop the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) from demolishing their stores and stalls.
The traders are accusing the KMA of attempting to obstruct the enforcement of their fundamental human rights and freedom under articles 24(1), 33(1) and (5) of the 1992 Republican Constitution.
They are, therefore, praying the court for an order restraining the respondents and their associates, namely, agents, workmen, assigns, or any person claiming through them from demolishing their close to about 1,500 lockable shops occupied by the plaintiffs in commencing the phase one of the Central Market Redevelopment Project, until the substantive application filed in the court under Article 33 and 24 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 67 of the C.I 47 is determined on its merits.
First of all, we, as a newspaper house, admit that it is within the constitutional right of traders who have filed the motion to seek redress in court. The Chronicle is, therefore, not seeking to condemn their class action. Our concern though is that litigation over the issue in law court may delay the execution of the project, which the state has invested a lot of money into.
As the adage goes, when two elephants fight, it is the grass which suffers. Should the traders succeed in convincing the court to rule in their favour, and the KMA also decide to appeal because it is dissatisfied with the ruling, it is surely going to delay the start of the project.
The Central Market, as it stands now, is a colonial relic that has outlived its usefulness. To us at The Chronicle, therefore, it is welcome news, that is, the decision taken by the government to rebuild it.
It is trite knowledge that the $278 million the state is using to rebuild the market is a loan that has conditions attached to it. Should we, as a country, breach any of the conditions, the money could be withdrawn by the lenders. It is on the basis of this that we are appealing to the traders and the KMA to sit down and dialogue, instead of resorting to the courts, and also taking antagonistic positions.
As we indicated in our previous comment in this column about the development, some of the traders have genuine fears that after the market has been demolished and rebuilt they would be kicked out because they cannot afford to pay the new rent of the stores or stalls. Here are traders who have used the stores and stalls for centuries, and for them to lose them in such a manner is unwelcome news to them.
But whether the above fears, if indeed exist, could be allayed or not, will depend on genuine dialogue between the assembly and the traders. And this is the reason why we think the best way to go is sitting down and talking instead of taking to the law courts, though as we have already stated, the traders have every right to proceed to court.
The Chronicle is also appealing to the Overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to intervene and ensure that the case filed by the tracers in court be withdrawn for an amicable settlement at home.
Kumasi is not only the second largest city in Ghana, but also the centre of economic activity in the middle and northern belts of the country. The completion of the market will, therefore, serve the best interests of the country and even beyond. We must, therefore, not fail in our quest to have the market develop into modern standards.
The post Editorial: Kumasi Central market brouhaha: Jaw-jaw is the answer appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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