By Emmanuel Gamson
Takoradi, Sept. 28, GNA – Traders at the Takoradi New Market have kicked against government’s proposal to pre-rent out spaces in the stalled Takoradi Market Circle Redevelopment Project as a way of mobilising funds to complete the entire project.
According to them, the government must find ways to complete the project before charging them for occupancy.
Their concerns followed a visit by Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, to the project site to ascertain progress made so far, where he hinted that government was exploring rent-based alternative financing strategies to complete the Project.
He explained that as part of the plan, government would partner with banks to facilitate the collection of the monies from prospective occupants, and the amount mobilised given to the contractor to complete the project.
However, Madam Lamisi Adam, a Convenor for the Concerned Takoradi New Market Traders, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the upfront payment proposal by the government would be beyond their means.
“This new plan by the government will not help us because already we are struggling to make sales due to the location of the new market, it is difficult for us to attract customers So, we will not be able to get that money to pay for an uncompleted store.”
She disclosed that during their relocating from the old site, some monies were collected were collected from them saying, “but we don’t know what those monies were used for, so the government must find other sustainable ways of financing the outstanding works on the project.”
Madam Adam noted that traders would only pay when the project was completed and certified for occupancy and fit for trading activities.
She, therefore, appealed to the government to put in place a more robust financing mechanism to bring the contractors back on site to resume work and complete the Takoradi Market Circle Redevelopment Project for them.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Bertha Badu-Agyei/Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Emmanuel Gamson