The Federation of Kumasi Traders says it is hopeful the Ministry of Local government, Decentralization and Rural Development will resolve the current impasse between traders at the new Kejetia market and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

This follows the Federation’s meeting with officials of the ministry led by the sector minister, Dan Kwaku Botwe last week.

The meeting among other things was to find a lasting solution to the demand for individual meters at the market.

The new Kejetia market currently owes the ECG over GH¢500 million due to the usage of a single meter for the entire centre, a situation the traders lament is untenable.

Speaking to Citi News, the President of the Federation of Kumasi Traders, Nana Akwasi Prempeh said the trading community is optimistic the local government ministry will be able to address the current situation.

“At the invitation of the MCE, all the various traders unions within Kumasi Kejetia market have presented our case to the Local Government Minister. The main issue we presented to him is that of the separate meters that the traders have been advocating for. The Minister has assured that upon the return to Accra, he will liaise with the Energy Minister and the ECG to see how best the issue can be solved soon for traders in Kumasi.”

The traders have been forced to close down their shops since they are not able to pay the huge electricity bills.

The traders have on several occasions clashed with the management of the Kejetia market over the decision to use one bulk meter for the over 7000 shops in the market.

Over the years, they had complained that they pay exorbitant electricity bills due to the failure of the management of the facility to provide separate meters for shops within the market.

It appears the situation is not likely to be resolved anytime soon as the leadership of the traders has blamed the management of the facility for the closure of their shops.

Meanwhile, the management of ECG insists the failure of the facility to pay its arrears is what has caused the delay in providing the individual meters.