I have better plan for Kejetia traders - Sam Pyne assures

The Metro Chief Executive for Kumasi, Samuel Pyne says he is working on a better plan to help resolve issues about electricity and the acquisition of ECG meters for traders at the Kejetia markets.

Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper Thursday evening, Hon Pyne assured traders to remain calm as the team he has put together finishes with all procurement requirements that would enable them to have individual meters at the trading enclave.

Sam Pyne said he had to ensure that the processes leading to the acquisition of meters were transparent and enduring so that no one is milked when actual allocations commence.

He stressed that it is better to follow due process which is transparent than to allow people with selfish ambitions and interests to pull through a semblance of a solution with shady deals.

"Upon assumption of office I decided not to allow anyone or group of persons to coerce or force me to do anything that was shady so I have done a comprehensive work to address electricity and the acquisition of meters for traders at Kejetia and you would soon see a solution to the ongoing matter because procurement process is almost done", the Mayor stated.

Disclosures

The KMA mayor disclosed that an earlier plan was shown to him upon assumption of office but stated that the deal was murky.

Hon Pyne said he was not ready to allow anyone to shortchange the traders and government with any opaque deal of seeking to acquire meters for the shops and stalls at Kejetia.

The Mayor said he decided to get a team to evaluate all of the issues at hand and find a better way of handling the same.

These measures, he noted was wholistic so that arrears owed by traders would be catered for before individual meters were advanced to traders.

"I am not sure the early plan shown me would have resolved matters because in there were some shady attempts to milk the situation and the traders", Hon Pyne disclosed.

Assurances

The Kumasi Mayor said the procurement process was almost done and it will make way for the Assembly to find ways to allocate about 7, 000 meters to traders at the enclave.

He noted that a payment plan would also be found to enable traders to pay to have the meters the Assembly is seeking for.

The Mayor also noted that the monies owed by traders for using the post-paid general meter at Kejetia would be addressed for payments to be made to the Electricity Company of Ghana, suppliers of power to the market.

"I am so committed to ensuring a permanent solution is found to the ongoing issues so as to allow our traders go through their routine activities without hindrances while ensuring that monies owed ECG for power already consumed is paid for", the KMA Mayor intimated.