Some traders who were affected by the recent fire at the Blue Light arena in Kumasi are fighting the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s (KMA) decision to reconstruct the market centre.

The assembly cordoned off the trading space after assessing the structural integrity of the affected buildings to stop the increasing encroachment on the land and pave the way for reconstruction.

But the aggrieved traders are demanding self-funding of the reconstruction as they argue many market projects in the city remain stalled, with pockets of chaos characterising the redistribution of stalls at newly constructed ones.

Speaking on Luv FM, Kumasi City Mayor, Richard Boadi, highlighted the dangerous trading activity emerging at the Blue Light Arena.

He indicated that the traders have begun digging holes and drains which could exacerbate an unforeseen fire incident.

“When we went there, we realized the people are messing up the area. So, we decided to protect the area from encroachment and engage them in the plans we have for the market. The kind of drains they have dug there, if there is another fire, it would be worse,” he told David Akuetteh.

On Thursday, April 24, 2025, some of the affected traders pulled down the fence used by the KMA to cordon off the market area to get access for their trade.

The traders clad in red registered their displeasure over what they describe as an attempt to take over their lands.

Although the aggrieved vendors are in agreement with a market reconstruction project, the group says they are ready to self-fund the entire reconstruction.

This, they believe, could forestall future disturbances in the redistribution of stalls to them.

“We accept it. But we want to reconstruct the market ourselves. We don’t want KMA to build it for us. We also need technical assistance from them,” one of the traders said.

Another added: “Kejetia Dubai got burnt two years ago. Over 50 shops were destroyed, until now nothing has happened. When they were sharing the shops, people who initially occupied the old market did not get shops.”