The Danger in Kejetia Roads Misused by Drivers and Pedestrians

The roads surrounding the New Kumasi Kejetia market is been misplied by pedestrians in the capital city and its environs with the idea of ‘time wasting’ by the walkers and hawkers.

Although the market is not yet opened, yet the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly launched the streets to control the decongestion rate of traders and cars at the venue. Sellers from the Central Market, Race Course, Suame Roundabout and vantage selling areas who were evacuated without better relocation sites all took to the streets of the Kejetia Market to engage in trade on the walkways for buyers.

It took amblers from the Adehyee Market to Adum 30 minutes before crossing over whiles drivers sometimes remained in traffic congestion for hours, which affected the sales of businesses in the region.

The roads, which include Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to Pampaso, Kejetia to Dr. Mensah, Kejetia to Suame Roundabout, Central Market roads, among others, were opened on February 11, 2019 for public use and to ease vehicular traffics after they were closed in 2017.

According to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah on the opening of the roads, “No trader or hawker will be allowed to transact business in the streets or any available open space around the Kejetia project,” at a press conference, which took place at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Kumasi. He revealed that the KMA had embarked on a series of educational and sensitization programmes, especially on radio, ahead of the opening of the roads.

His statement seemed to have been 'whisked' in the open air due to the recent activities on the Kejetia roads, which has imported the former attitude of the old Kejetia into existence. The education and sensitization programmes seem not to have dissolved the negative traits of the people for the reason that the errors are still in existence on the streets of Kejetia.

Security guards initially were employed to guide pedestrians’ whiles others disciplined those who walked on planted lawns avoiding the constructed streets to their destinations. The trade of water sellers boosted due to security laws on culprits who walked on lawns to buy 20pesewas of water to irrigate them before been allowed to leave. Although that form of education was not much accurate, yet others discovered the need to go by the Metropolitan’s measures on the new streets to avoid chastening.

For a few months now, some of the streets have been abandoned by the guardians leaving the ‘depraved’ mentality of individuals and drivers back on them. Soiree News visit to the front of the Kumasi Zoo on Tuesday witnessed the roundabout breached by personalities. People coming from Pampaso felt ‘indolent’ to walk to the front of the zoo and ply the ‘crossing’ whereas drivers felt it all right to embrace passengers on the roundabout for load.

The streets built for passer-bys were narrowed by sellers making it uneasy to track through. In due of this, majority of people preferred walking by the roadside to their various destinations making it tempting to cross anywhere they found themselves. When the cameras caught up with some of the culprits, they did not deny the error and positioned the blame on the structure of the intersection.

“The zebra crossing is far from here and it extends the miles that I’m covering. I’m in a hurry and cannot cover such a distance. This is the short cut and it helps a lot. Although it is dangerous but we’re managing and will plead to the authorities to help us make the distance short,” Kwarteng Douglas said.

"Descending to the crossing is very far and takes time. I make sure to monitor, if there is no car coming, then I take the risk and cross yet it’s very dangerous. We are therefore pleading on the government to either build us a footbridge or allocate a traffic light help make our distance short,” another said.

The Kejetia main market is not yet opened but the breaches will soon see the roads wear out by the time marketing activities take place repeating the same congestion challenge it was before.The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has to be up and running and employ guards to direct and monitor drivers and pedestrians before the worst happens for steps to be ensured.