Kejetia, Kumasi, Ghana

Right in the heart of Kumasi is one of West Africa's largest open air markets. It is bordered to the north by the Kumasi Cultural Centre and to the north west by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The southern part of the Kejetia market forms a border with Adum, the commercial centre of the cty. Virtually everything that one wants to purchase from a market can be found at Kumasi Central Market. Kejetia market ranges from gold jewelry and diamond jewellery handcrafted by the Ashantis, food, Ashanti kente clothing fabrics and footwear by Printex, spices, grains, and toiletries. If a person is traveling with someone, it is necessary to stay close since it is very easy to lose one another and easy to lose one's way. Kejetia market is a great place to buy fabric such as the Ashanti people's kente clothing, and see a huge Kejetia market, full of everyday hustle and bustle.

The first phase of the redevelopment took place in 2014 at a cost of US$259,425,000, and has been completed.[3]

There was a redevelopment sod cutting for the phase two of the Kumasi Central Market by Nana Addo Dankwah and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene on 2 May 2019. It is said to be completed in 48 months with an estimated cost of 248 million financed by Deutsche Bank of Germany with credit guarantee from UK Export finance.[3]

When completed the market will have 6500 leased stores commercially, 5,400 stores closed, 800 kiosks, 50 restaurants, 40 livestock stores, 210 fish monger and butcher spaces and community facilities of 1,800 square meters.[4] It is estimated to cover a total area of 172,197 square meters.[3]

The huge human and vehicular traffic in and around the Kejetia market makes its management and law enforcement very difficult. Various methods of ensuring peace and order in the area are employed include the formation of a city guard group. The members of the group act as the Kejetia market's law enforcement authority. They handle basic traffic direction duties, anti-hawking activities, etc. However, they refer all cases that are beyond the jurisdiction to the Kejetia Police Personnel who have a station in the market. In 2010, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly through the market managers Freko FD Ltd installed CCTV cameras around the market,[5] with the aim of strengthening security at the station. The move was expected to clamp down on hoodlums, who ply their trade in areas including the Kumasi Central market, PZ-Adum, Zoological gardens and its environs.

National Fire and Rescue Service fire engines

Fire outbreaks have historically been the major destroyer of the Kejetia market. The Kejetia market has had several outbreaks that have resulted in the destruction of stores, stalls and their wares. The destruction in most cases runs into several millions of cedis.

One outbreak occurred on 19 September 2001,[6] when a blazing hail of fire gutted over 150 stores at the old Kejetia market. It took the intervention of the Kumasi City Fire Service to fight the fire from spreading to other stores. The cost of items destroyed was not readily assessed. The cause was attributed to illegal electrical connections performed by workers of a private developer.

• Economy of Ashanti