It has therefore warned those who are extorting money from traders under the pretext of allocating some of the stores to them, to desist from the act or face the full rigorous of the law. A statement signed by Mr Godwin Okumah Nyame and issued in Kumasi said the assembly would go all out to deal ruthlessly with anybody found to be engaging in the diabolical act to make illegal money from the project.

The statement said it had come to the notice of the assembly that some unscrupulous persons were going round to extort money from traders, especially those who were relocated from the Kejetia for the redevelopment work to take off.

It said the assembly would soon commence the validation of all traders and shop owners who were affected by the project and were registered by their various associations prior to the start of the project.         

The statement urged traders not to pay money to anybody who claims to be appointed by the assembly to allocate the stores.It assured all major stakeholders in the project that the assembly would continue to engage them on every stage to ensure transparency and fair distribution of the stores.

The statement further urged the traders to always contact the assembly for any information on the project and desist from giving out money to unscrupulous persons who were trying to dupe them.