By P.K.Yankey
Aiyinasi (W/R), May 29, GNA-Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ellembelle Constituency, has cut the sod to kick-start the construction of an ultra-modern 24-Hour Economy market complex at Aiyinasi.
The flagship project, expected to commence on June 1, 2026, is estimated at a cost of GH₵32 million and would extend trading hours, create jobs and boost local commerce.
It is being executed by MacWest Construction Limited on behalf of the Ellembelle District Assembly.
The modernised market would comprise of a police station, fire service station, a gym centre, supermarket, kindergarten block, car station, clinic, restaurant, a branch of the Women’s bank among other facilities.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, Mr Buah who doubles as the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, said the facility would serve traders and residents with a secured, well-lit space for round-the-clock activity.
He charged the contractor to engage local input in the construction works to reduce youth unemployment and increase incomes for small and medium-scale traders.
“This is about creating opportunities that do not stop when the sun sets, adding that the “24-Hour Economy initiative, is a practical way to unlock the potential of our markets and keep money circulating in our communities.”
The MP also announced that under the One Million Coders programme the government would train 50 youth in various programmes at Aiyinasi.
He added that a palm nut factory would be established in the district to create employment and boost the local economy.
The MP commended Mr Joseph Agyekum, the District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, for securing GH₵11 million for the district after the Assembly was named one of the best in the Western Region.
The funds, he said, would be used to establish a District Hospital at Nkroful, the hometown of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Mr Agyekum thanked the chiefs and elders of Aiyinasi for releasing land for the market and appealed to residents to support the contractor to complete the work on schedule.
Nana Etwe Kpanyinli VI, the Divisional Chief of Aiyinasi, commended the MP and DCE for the project and thanked President John Mahama for fulfilling his campaign promise.
“In 2016, 2020, and 2024, President Mahama came to Aiyinasi and promised us a modern market. Today he has fulfilled that promise,” Nana Kpanyinli said.
He said it was time for Aiyinasi to replace its over 60-year-old market with a modern facility and assured the MP of his support.
The 24-Hour Economy policy is one of the government’s flagship programmes for 2025-2026, targeting urban and peri-urban markets nationwide to drive productivity and reduce youth migration from rural areas.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: P.K.Yankey
Reporter’s e mail: [email protected]