By Benjamin Akoto
Bongase, (Bono), June 8, GNA – Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs says the ministry is working to ensure that the 24-hour market initiative becomes the most successful government socio-economic intervention programme.
He said the execution of the markets across the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country was being done under a highly coordinated and standardised framework.
Mr Ibrahim, also the Member of Parliament for Banda in the Bono Region, said this when he cut the sod for the construction of the 24-hour market at Bongase, a commercial hub in the Banda District of the region.
The minister told the media that 10 consultants had been engaged to supervise the construction of the markets across the 16 regions in the country.
He said: “The consultants are ensuring that the design, procurement and construction processes are carried out professionally and in accordance with specifications.”
Mr Ibrahim added that the centralised implementation approach was necessary to maintain uniformity in the design and construction of the markets’ nationwide.
“If the MMDAs are left to undertake the projects independently, each of them will adopt a different approach, but we want standardised structures,” he said.
Mr Ibrahim noted that the 24-hour market projects had been designed around four market models, depending on availability of lands and population.
He explained that the largest model occupied four acres, with the second largest, taking three acres and the third and fourth occupying 2.5 acres and two acres of land, respectively, saying that the population of an assembly determines the type of market to be constructed.
Mr Ibrahim said that construction work on some of the market projects had commenced with the foundation works progressing steadily.
He noted that the Banda district lacked a viable market infrastructure, despite the economic importance of the Bongase fishing market.
He said traders and buyers from Greater Accra and Northern regions and other parts of the country patronized the Bongase fishing market, however existing facilities were inadequate.
“Personally, I facilitated the construction of about six pavilions for the traders, but there is a need for expanded infrastructure to unlock the full potential of the market,” he added.
Mr Ibrahim noted that the construction of the 24-hour market at Bongase would boost commercial activities, improve trading conditions, and thereby contribute to the economic development of the district.
He gave assurance that the project would be completed within one year.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Benjamin Akoto
[email protected]
