The Coalition of Trade Unions (CTU) has announced plans to stage a massive peaceful demonstration over the continued abandonment of the Kumasi Central Market Phase Two project, warning that frustrated traders may forcibly occupy the uncompleted site if the government fails to act.
In a press statement issued on Monday, 20 July 2026, the coalition expressed deep disappointment over prolonged delays, which they note mirror an 18-month abandonment experienced under the previous administration.
The CTU stated that repeated assurances from the government—specifically the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development—have failed to materialise, leaving thousands of traders in severe economic hardship.
To resolve the impasse, the coalition has laid out four critical demands to the government, starting with the immediate resumption of construction works on the Phase Two project.
The CTU is also calling for strict accountability regarding the “premium monies” collected from traders during Phase One, which they state are currently held in accounts at Fidelity Bank and Yaa Asantewaa Rural Bank and must be used solely for the second phase.
Furthermore, the coalition wants swift intervention to address the worsening congestion in Adum, Racecourse, and surrounding commercial areas caused by the long-term displacement of traders.
As a long-term solution to administrative inefficiencies and overcrowding, the CTU is proposing that the government privatise the management of the Phase One market, handing operations over to a specialised Operations and Maintenance firm.
The CTU emphasised that the patience of the trading community has been entirely exhausted.
They warned that if the state ignores their ultimatum, displaced traders will take drastic measures, including occupying available spaces and taking over the uncompleted market structure regardless of official allocation plans, which could create avoidable tension within the city’s central business district.
The press release was jointly endorsed by representatives from major trading groups across the metropolis, including the Central Market Traders, Kejetia Traders, Secondhand Clothing Sellers, Moro Market Traders, and the Kumasi Petty Traders Associations, stated that details regarding the date and route of the impending protest will be communicated in due course.
Government officials and the leadership of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) have yet to issue a formal response to the coalition’s demands or the impending protest.
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