Work on new Kumasi Central Market to start December

Kumasi, Nov. 1, GNA - Construction works on the multi-billion-cedi new Central Market for Kumasi initiated by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is expected to take off by December this year.

Mr Daniel Coleman, Personal Assistant to the KMA Chief Executive, Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, who announced this said, all preparations for the project had been accomplished and that what was left was the transfer of funds from abroad by the financiers.

He, however, did not mention who the financiers were. Mr Coleman was speaking at the inauguration of the Ashanti Region branch of the United Petty Trades Association of Ghana, in Kumasi on Friday.

Mr Kofi Osei Amponsah, Regional Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation on behalf of the Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, later swore a 12-member executive, with Mr Daniel Awuah Darko as its chairman, into office.

"We are very optimistic and certain that the funds will be transferred very soon to enable the project start in December as scheduled."

Mr Coleman said the project would be executed in three phases and would among other facilities provide for the construction of 45,000 stores, a clinic, fire service station, parking lots and banks.

Touching on the fate of traders at the Central Market when construction works start, he said already arrangements had been made to re-locate some of them at the Asafo Market and the Race Course. Mr Desmond Donkor, National Chairman of the association, debunked speculations that traders perceived metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies as foes and were therefore always at war with them.

"On the contrary, we regard them as allies and partners in development and will do nothing to obstruct their drive at injecting sanity into development and growth of cities and towns," he stressed. Mr Donkor appealed to the KMA to expedite action on providing a more permanent site for the resettlement of petty traders to help rid the streets of their activities.

He announced that as their contribution towards enhancing environmental cleanliness, the Association would undertake clean up exercises in selected areas of the metropolis once every month.