Traders stall market project

The Ho Municipal Assembly is considering coercion to move traders operating in the principal market in the town to pave the way for construction of a new market.

Already, pressure is mounting on the Municipal Authority to use force to evict the traders since the deadline given to the market women currently occupying the Ho market space elapsed last Sunday.

The development of the Ho market, which is part of a €40 million concessionary loan facility secured from the French government under the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP) to upgrade four other markets, has stalled for almost four years as some of the market traders are unwilling to move to a temporary structure for construction activities to begin.

The project aims to improve the living conditions in urban areas for inhabitants of the four selected cities of Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale and Ho. The project is expected to promote sustainable development from a financial, environmental, and social perspective.

Activities under the GUMPP project are expected to end by the end of this year, and there are fears that further delays in construction activities could see financing for the Ho Market cut.

The situation has incensed some other traders, who have urged the Municipal authorities to use force to evict their colleagues that have refused to vacate the market for the anticipated market project to start.

The Secretary of the Ho Market Women Association, Ben Adzinor, contends that the reluctance of the traders currently occupying the market to move has delayed the project schedule “unnecessarily”.

He has therefore asked the Municipal Assembly to reconsider its persuasive ways of dealing with the traders, some of whom are influential in politics of the Municipal Assembly’s activities.

“Owners of bigger stores in the market are not cooperating with authorities as they show no sign of moving or vacating the old market to the temporary space. The store owners have even mobilised to reject the move to vacate the market,” he explained.

However, some of the traders have alleged that the temporary place provided by the Assembly is not in good shape for occupancy as since it lacks some basic amenities -- such as sanitary and utility facilities needed to support trading activities.