The Kejetia Market in Kumasi has been without power for three days due to a GH¢7 million debt owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The ECG announced that this disconnection was a result of the facility management’s failure to adhere to a scheduled debt repayment plan.
While the ECG maintains that the market has not fulfilled its financial obligations, traders argue that they have consistently paid their electricity bills to the Kumasi City Markets Limited.
They are asking for clarity into where these debts as claimed by ECG are coming from because they do not owe any debts as known to their best knowledge.
In April, ECG disconnected power to the market over a larger debt of GH¢9.7 million, which was later resolved through a repayment agreement. However, the ECG claims that the market has failed to meet the terms of that agreement, leading to the current disconnection.
Edmond Kofi Duffuor, the Managing Director of Kumasi City Markets, asserted that the management has been proactive in addressing the debt.
He noted that the outstanding amount had been reduced from GH¢4.9 million to GH¢2 million, with an arrangement to pay GH¢100,000 daily.
Despite these assurances, traders are calling for a change in market management, stressing that the marketing director should resign so that they can find another person to manage the affairs of the market.
