AMA to pull down two old markets

Accra, March 15, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) would pull down the Salaga Market, currently sitting on a bed of River Brenya, in June this year and build an ultra modern foodstuffs market, Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, Mayor of Accra, said on Thursday.

Mr Blankson said the Adabraka Market would also be relocated to enable the assembly to construct another ultramodern market complex. The mayor said this when the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana School of Law called on him to announce the school's "Law Week" celebration scheduled for Accra next week.

He said as a first step, AMA would be holding meetings with opinion leaders in Bukom and Salaga on the new structure that would accommodate over 800 traders.

"So far we have some seed money generated from the Pedestrian Shopping Mall complex (in Accra) and we hope to get some money from the central government to enable us to start the two projects," Mr Blankson said. He noted that the Adabraka Market was operating in an unhygienic environment, while Salaga Market was water- logged and the sanitation was poor.

On the Agbogbloshie Market, Mr Blankson said the project would be completed by next week and pleaded with traders to bear with them. According to him the AMA was concerned about hygiene noting that when the Agbogbloshie project began, over 1,400 rats and assorted reptiles were killed.

He debunked rumours that that market complex when completed would be offered to other persons. On the revenue of the Assembly, the mayor said the AMA was cash strapped but expressed the hope that by next year the Assembly would pay its debts and be self dependent.

He also dwelt on the registration of taxis in the metropolis, saying the Assembly was incurring extra cost. "So far 10,000 vehicles have been registered during the exercise as against an estimate of 2,000 vehicles."

Mr Blankson told the law students that the decongestion exercises carried out by the AMA had been challenging and paid tribute to the media and other stakeholders for its success.

The mayor expressed his gratitude to the students for offering free legal consultancy services to AMA and pleaded with the judiciary to expedite the trial of persons arrested after falling foul to the assembly's bye-laws.

Professor George Ansah Ofosu Armaah, Dean of the Law Faculty, University of Ghana, decried the inability of the public to commend the Assembly for its effort to beautify the city.

Professor Armaah, who is also the Presiding Member for AMA, said the assembly had bye-laws to effect changes in the city but lacked support from the public and urged all to take part in the activities of the Assembly.

He said he was not happy with some people living in the various markets and attributed their activities to the frequent outbreak of fires in various markets.

"The assembly has many bye-laws; we need persons like you to educate people and also enforce the various laws," he added. Mr Samuel Yalley, President of the SRC of the Ghana School of Law, told the mayor that he and his colleagues had been following the activities of Assembly and were impressed. Mr Yalley urged the mayor to continue with his good work of beautifying city.

He presented an invitation to the Mayor to participate in their weeklong activities in commemoration of the School's 48th anniversary.