Kumasi City Markets Limited, Managers of the Kejetia Market, one of the landmark trading centres in the West-African sub-Region, has announced that the facility will close at 1900 hours from June 1, this year.

Mr Kofi Dufour Addai, the Managing Director, said the decision was to reduce the cost of operation, and also enhance the security and safety of traders at the facility.

"No trading activities could go on after the said time when the directive is implemented," he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi.

Currently, trading and related commercial activities are allowed within the ultra-modern market between 0600 hours to 1900 hours.

Mr Dufour Addai emphasized that the managers would not permit entrance into the facility by either the public or commercial vehicles from June 1 and cautioned the traders and public to endeavour to comply with the directive when brought into force as the managers would not countenance any form of indiscipline.

The Managing Director stated that the decision had been communicated to the traders to inform them of the impending changes.

The latest development comes in the wake of the recent fire outbreak at the Kejetia Market, destroying some merchandise.

The incident, which is being investigated, led to the temporary closure of the facility to allow fire experts and the police to assess the situation.

The state-of-the-art Market covers the first phase of the Kejetia/Central Market Re-development Project, which commenced in 2015, to replace the ageing open-space Kumasi Central Market, considered as one of the biggest trading hubs in the sub-Region.

It was inaugurated in 2018, and has about 8,420 stores, a clinic, a police station, a social and recreational centre, ICT centre and a post office, a fire post, banks and a crèche.