By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Abor (V/R), May 12, GNA – Stakeholders in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region have officially handed over land for the construction of an ultra-modern 24-hour economy market at Abor.
The stakeholders described Abor as a community strategically positioned to drive the government’s 24-hour economy agenda due to its already vibrant round-the-clock trading activities.
Mr Wisdom Seade, the Keta Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the site handover ceremony, expressed confidence that Abor was the ideal location for the project because of its position along the ECOWAS highway and its long-established culture of night trading.
“Even at 0400 hours, you still meet people trading around here. You see cars from Kumasi, VIP buses stopping over to pick up passengers, and motorbike riders operating throughout the night into the next day,” he said.
He explained that the existing Abor Market would be transformed into an ultra-modern facility equipped with stores, sheds, a crèche, a police post, a fire post, a borehole, and a standby power generator to support uninterrupted trading activities around the clock.
Mr Seade noted that security infrastructure would be a critical component of the project, explaining that fear of armed robbery had historically forced traders and service operators to close early.
“When there is no security, people close early. But with the police post at the market, traders will feel secure and be able to trade freely at night,” he stated.
He added that mobile money operators, filling station attendants, and other businesses would benefit significantly from the improved security environment.
The MCE further stated that the market would include sanitation and comfort facilities to enable traders to freshen up and continue business without leaving the premises, thereby sustaining the intended 24-hour trading cycle.
Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, the Member of Parliament for Keta, told the GNA that the Assembly had undertaken no fewer than four rounds of stakeholder consultations involving chiefs, elders, opinion leaders, traders, drivers, and other market users before the site handover ceremony.
He acknowledged that some structures within the project area would be demolished but assured affected owners that temporary structures would be provided during the construction period. He also promised rent-free occupancy in the new stores for a number of years upon completion.
The MP appealed to contractors, engineers, and consultants to prioritise the construction of roadside stores within the stipulated timeframe to facilitate the swift relocation of affected traders and minimise disruptions to livelihoods.
Both the MP and the MCE commended the strong collaboration between the Keta Municipal Assembly and traditional authorities, noting that the partnership had already resulted in the release of more than 450 acres of land from various traditional areas for development projects.
They revealed that several communities were proactively offering land for schools, workers’ estates, and other government projects, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for development within the municipality.
The two leaders urged residents of Keta to sustain the spirit of cooperation and take advantage of the development agenda championed by President John Dramani Mahama to ensure the municipality secured its fair share of national growth and prosperity.
Mr James Edem Bodza, General Manager of Mighty Industries Limited, the firm undertaking the project, pledged the company’s commitment to delivering quality work and appealed to residents to support the timely completion of the project.
The GNA gathered that engineers and consultants had already marked some temporary structures for immediate removal. All affected parties had reportedly been given prior notice, with the Assembly targeting full site clearance within 14 to 20 days to allow construction to begin in earnest.
About 60 per cent of the workforce for the project is expected to be drawn from the local community, creating employment opportunities for the youth during the estimated two-and-a-half-month construction period.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu