The Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi admonishing a fishmonger at Asafo Market on Sunday morning
IT IS likely fishmongers that ply their trade at the Asafo Market in Kumasi, the capital of Ashanti Region, will be punished by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), in the course of the week.
The KMA has detected that the fish mongers are operating in insanitary conditions which pose health threat to the fishmongers themselves and the people who consume their fish.
This came to light on Sunday morning when the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi and some officials of the assembly, made a surprise visit to the place where the fishmongers operate.
The fishmongers have therefore been summoned to a crunch meeting with officials of the KMA on Wednesday, where they (fishmongers) are to explain why they should not be punished for operating in a filthy environment.
It emerged during the visit that the entire surroundings where the fishmongers run their business were filled with solid and liquid waste, which emanated a deep stench all over the area.
Horrifying enough, different species of houseflies were also seen hovering over the fish which were ready for sale to unsuspecting consumers.
Mayor Angry
Mr Osei Assibey Antwi lambasted the fishmongers for doing their work in such unhygienic conditions which pose serious health threat to the public.
He, consequently, ordered the Environment and Health Department of the KMA, to quickly summon the fishmongers to meet him (Mayor) at his office on Wednesday and explain why they decide to operate in such dirty conditions.
The Mayor, who sounded angry, did not rule out the possibility of punishing the fishmongers for their irresponsible behaviour.
According to him, he would henceforth be paying unannounced visits to several places in the city to check if the people are observing the rules of hygiene or not, adding that the move is aimed at eradicating filth from the city.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi