The South Dayi District Assembly is losing huge amounts of money at the Kpeve Market as a result of an impasse between the assembly and the market women.
DAILY GUIDE has learnt that market women at the Kpeve market have stopped paying tolls to the assembly because of what they term poor management of the market.
The women, led by the market queen, Charlotte Asamoah, chased out revenue collectors from the assembly about two weeks ago after years of complaints of the poor management of the market had fallen on deaf ears.
Since the women chased the revenue collectors (on 7th July), they have reportedly refused to pay tolls to the assembly.
The traders have expressed their readiness to take over the collection of tolls and render accounts to the assembly at the end of every week.
According to them, monies accrued from the tolls would be used to develop the market.
This, they claim, would continue until the assembly shows some commitment towards the development of the market.
Ms Charlotte Asamoah explained, “We have taken this decision because the market, which was in existence before I was born – thus over 70 years ago – has not seen any major facelift, as the paltry infrastructure in the market keeps deteriorating beyond repairs.
The Kpeve market is one of two most revenue-generating markets of the South Dayi District, which gives the assembly over GH¢100,000 from tolls annually.
Poor ConditionsÂ
The market, which has two major (market) days – Tuesdays and Fridays – attracts traders and farmers from as far as Northern Volta, Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti Regions.
Despite this, Madam Charlotte Asamoah said that the entire market lacks a toilet facility, bathrooms, warehouses, crèche and a rest house for traders from afar.
She complained about poor drainage system, access roads and inadequate sheds for the market women, particularly the fish sellers from Tema, who have threatened to boycott the market, should their plea for sheds be ignored.
Most of the sheds in the market were erected by the women themselves.
Spokesperson for the traders, Delight Afua Ayoyo, stressed that the poor sanitation and drainage system is gradually turning the market into a disease-prone area, as the assembly is unable to keep the place clean.
Clarion Call
The market women, who were clad in red, with placards amidst dancing and the singing of war songs, also registered their displeasure over the delay in the approval of a district chief executive (DCE) for the area.
A market woman, Mary Akaba, who is a unit committee member for Kpeve Newtown, recounted that in 2004, a female nominee was rejected and later confirmed after several appeals.
In 2009, another female nominee was also rejected outright.
A male was nominated who was confirmed twice to serve two terms.
As a result of this, the market women appealed to the assembly members to give the current female nominee, Ella Boateng, a chance to contribute her quota to the socio-economic development of the country.
From Fred Duodu, Kpeve (freduoo@gmail.com)