Some residents of Bantama, Abrepo, Suame, Mbrom and Adum in Kumasi, which are within the neighbourhood of the Sunshine Citi project at Race Course, have highly commended the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for donating the land, which is designed to transform the Race Course into a mini city in Kumasi.
They have also expressed their profound gratitude to Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante, who initiated the Sunshine Citi project and assured of their support to ensure the success of the project and transform Kumasi into a tourist attraction centre.
According to the residents, the multi-million project dubbed Sunshine Citi, Kumasi, and designed to transform the Race Course Area at Bantama into a viable commercial centre within the Kumasi metropolis, would not only address the problem of slum created at the Race Course, but would also promote tourism and boost business transaction among residents.
They pointed out that with facilities such as a shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling tours, as well as restaurants being developed at the Race Course Area, the place would become more attractive and boost commerce to offer employment to the unemployed youth.
The Sunshine Citi project is being undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews on their impression about the project, Mr Kwaku Duah, a resident of Bantama, said since the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) converted the Race Course into a market centre and lorry terminal about 10 years ago, “Bantama has not been the same again because all manner of characters have made the market their permanent place of abode where they hide to perpetrate criminal activities”.
He pointed out that the Race Course Area had become “ a no go area , especially late in the evenings”, explaining that “ anyone who dares to move around the area at odd hours is attacked and robbed. Sometimes, people are killed in the area, giving Bantama a bad image”.
He pointed out that Alfred Zieme, a convicted armed robber now serving a prison sentence, succeeded in robbing his victims in broad day light, from the Race Course area.
He said apart from armed robbers, drug peddlers had also turned the area into their den, where they harassed traders and passengers who arrived late in the night, saying “ we are going to offer all the needed support and encouragement to the businessman who has initiated the Sunshine Citi project so that it would be completed on schedule”.
Mr Duah pointed out that with the early completion of the project, Bantama would assume a new image “ because with business booming, the youth would be engaged in productive ventures in support of national development”.
Other residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic appealed to the KMA to find alternative places for the displaced traders to enable them continue operating their businesses.
They pointed out that since the Race Course Area was only used as a temporary place for the traders, it behoved on the city authorities to address the concerns of the traders as quickly as possible to enable them to continue to stay in business.
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