Mr Albert Boakye Okyere, Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, has cut the sod for work to begin on a three-storey market complex in the municipality.
The Ashaiman Market Complex would be named “Nii Annang Adzor Market Complex” in recognition of the support the Ashaiman chief has given for development of the municipality.
When completed, the market complex would have 1,700 stalls, lorry park, banks, health post, a crèche, police post, fire station and warehouses.
The market is being constructed by Achamful and Sons Construction, a construction development company based in Kumasi and is expected to be completed between six and eight months.
Addressing the people at a brief ceremony to handover the site to the contractor, Mr Okyere said the construction was necessary because of the deplorable state of the old market and to enhance economic activities in the area to facilitate growth.
“The world is progressing so Ashaiman must also move forward,” he said and urged the contractors to engage the services of local artisans to create jobs and pledged the support of the traders to help in the easy facilitation of the project.
Nii Annang Adzor lauded the assembly for identifying the need for a private partnership in the development of the market.
“I constructed one and handed it over to the assembly about eight years ago but since then it has never been painted to make it attractive and I have noticed that some Polytanks have been placed on top and when they get full, spill over which is causing structural defects to the building,” he said.
“So I appeal to the assembly to hand over the market to the private investor when it is completed to properly manage it because when governments come and go, projects are not managed well.”
Nii Annang Adzor expressed displeasure at the hygiene situation in the market and appealed to the traders to ensure a clean and healthy market at all times.
Mr Shaibu Mohammed, an engineer with the construction company, promised that the market would be completed within schedule.
