Due to this demand, the market has been abandoned for the past two weeks as no trader has moved in yet despite a notice for them to do so.
Scores of traders have lined up along the main Whindo-Asaakai road and are dangerously plying their trade.
The EKMA constructed a new market in response to incessant calls from the public for the Assembly to find a more secured location for the traders to ply their trade so as to avert any disaster.
The market was completed last month and the traders were given two weeks to move into the stalls after an allocation exercise.
However, the two weeks’ relocation notice has elapsed and not a single trader has moved in.
According to the traders, they have been told that a “special prayer” must be offered to the gods before they can move in.
As a result, until that said “special prayer” is offered, they are afraid to move in alas they incur the wrath of the gods.
“I remember that some time back, a new market was constructed for the people of Apremdo. But prayers were offered before the traders were moved in. So, I believe it is the same thing happening here. What more, I have heard that where the new market is used to be a cemetery,” a worried trader said.
Even though some of the traders do not believe in the “special prayer”, they say “we have only decided not to move in out of respect for the Chief and elders of the community and not necessarily because we are afraid of the gods”.
“My only worry is that, maybe if we don’t move in, EKMA will come and re-allocate the stalls to different people. Because already the time they gave us to move in has elapsed,” another trader said.
Speaking on the Friday edition of Connect FM’s midday news ‘Orekodo’, Assembly member for the area Alex Acheampong confirmed the demand for the “red cow, red sheep and red goat” together with other items for the “special prayers”.
“It is true that there is a demand for the said items. That is why the traders have still not moved in. But the last time I spoke with the Chief, he told me that he has contacted some people at the Whindo Abattoir and they have promised him that they can get the animals. Recently, he informed me that those he contacted say they have the red cow. So, I believe that in the coming days the animal will be purchased for the prayers to be offered so that the traders can move in to the new market.”
When asked by news anchor Wofa Ato who will bear the cost of the “red cow, red sheep and red goat”, the Assembly member said he is confident that the cost will be borne by the Assembly.
When contacted, Works Engineer for Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly Benjamin Aidoo also confirmed that the Chief and Elders of Whindo demanded the items.
“We were not aware that the place we built the market used to be a cemetery. We only got to know about it two weeks ago when the Chief and his Elders approached us and told us about it. Indeed, they demanded for the red cow, the red sheep, the red goat, yam, oil and other items. According to them, they needed the items to pray to the gods before the traders can move in. So, we went to the slaughter house and asked for the cost of the items. We have been able to raise the funds for the items and will purchase them in the coming days. If we don’t do it, the traders will not move in. So, we have to do it for them.”
By Eric Yaw Adjei|Connect FM|3news.com|Ghana
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