The aggrieved traders say they cannot withstand the monthly electricity bills they pay every month
Traders at the new Kumasi Kejetia market have hoisted red flags in front of their shops to protest against the management and board of the market over electricity meters.
The traders say the management and board have failed to sign a contract with a private company approved by the Electricity Company of Ghana to provide individual shops in the market with electricity meters.
The aggrieved traders say they cannot withstand the monthly electricity bills they pay every month.
The Chairman of the Kejetia Market Traders Association, Mr Kwabena Obeng, told Class News’ regional correspondent Elisha Adarkwah that some of the traders receive electricity bills as high as GHS1,700 per month.
Mr Obeng noted that whether the trader opens a shop for the month or not, he has to pay the electricity bill.
While describing it as a cheat, Mr Obeng noted that the situation is a result of the whole market using a single electricity meter.
He said they have found a private company, which the ECG has approved, to provide meters to each shop but the board of the market is dragging its feet to sign a contract with the company so the meters can be distributed and installed.
Mr Obeng said despite meeting the board of the market to sign the contract, it has yielded no fruit, thus, the protest.
Mr Obeng, therefore, called on the management and the board of the market to sign the agreement, else they will advise themselves.
Meanwhile, the manager of the market, Mr Kofi Duffour, said the board is in the process of putting the contract together and promised that by the end of the week, the contract will be signed.
He, therefore, called on the traders to exercise restraint as due process is being followed to sign the contract so that the electricity meters will be provided.