Construction of US$139m Garden City Mall begins

It will cost US$130 million and when completed in December 2016, it will provide permanent jobs for over 1,000 Ghanaians.

Currently under construction, the Garden City Shopping Mall has already engaged 1,200 construction workers in various fields. It is in the Garden City of West Africa, Kumasi.

It is a collaboration between the Methodist Church, Ghana, the Asanteman Council and Retail and Reality Limited with funding from financial institutions such as the German Development Bank, KfW, and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.

Business experts have described it as the biggest indigenous Church-Private-Partnership (CPP).

Another profound statement about it is that it is being constructed by Consar Construction Limited, an indigenous firm noted for its excellent job which is always delivered on time.

The project is situated on a 21,000-square-metre land near the Suame Roundabout, and comes with a cinema, water park, 180-room hotel as well as a 2,500 metre-square office complex.

Other captivating features of the mall include swimming pools, water slides and facilities for children’s recreation.

Housed in a nine-storey building, the three-star hotel would provide the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality laced with international touch for businesses, revellers and tourists.

Apart from other local companies and shops that will pitch camp at the Garden City Mall, internationally acclaimed retail chains such as Shoprite and other retail companies will be around to offer first-class services and products to the people in the Garden City.

Ecology-fit design and architecture

In keeping with the thematic name, the Garden City Mall, it portrays its heritage by the inclusion of several ‘green’ features, the most notable of which is an extensive garden and a flowing stream on its north frontage. The stream is partially fed by ground water which is expressed on site as a natural well.

The designers believe that since the land is water-logged they would tap the source of the existing stream and channel the natural water into a water feature running along the entire front of the shopping mall.

This water is circulated back from a reservoir which ensures that the water in the stream will have a constant flow throughout the year.
There would also be a number of plants growing in pots inside the mall itself, served by natural illumination and sun rays created by non-corrugated plane roofing. All these to keep the environment as ecologically friendly and natural as possible.

The exterior of the food court will also be awashed with plants and trees. The parking areas are provided with planters between some of the bays providing both shade and natural green areas.

Ceremonies

Representatives of the Methodist Church, the Asanteman Council and the Retail and Reality Limited cut the sod at a colourful ceremony in Kumasi to publicly indicate the official start of the project.

Prior to this ground breaking ceremony, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr George Agyekum Nana Donkor, flew from Togo and joined hands with Mr Alex Bruks, Executive Chairman Delax Africa Group, to initial the loan agreement for the construction of the mall. The ECOWAS Bank is providing US$20 million as loan.

Otumfuo

Giving his assent to the project, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in a speech read on his behalf expressed excitement at the project which he said would provide employment, pleasure and leisure for the people and boost the economy of the Ashanti Region.

He called for devotion to duty, loyalty and commitment by all those who were working at both the construction site and other partners involved for a successful execution.

The mall is expected to help reduce congestion at the Central Business District of Kumasi and bring to an end an era of selling on untarred pavements and undesignated areas.

Methodist Church 

The Administrative Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Rt Rev. Dr Kwaku Asamoah-Okyere, commended Asanteman for allocating the land decades ago to the church and also helping to maintain the land in spite of various attempts by some people to encroach on it.

He said the church shared the view that “whatever favours we obtain from the Lord, we are entrusted with them on this condition that they should be applied to the common benefit of the church and the community at large”.

He said the construction of the mall was the affirmation of the church’s conviction that “Faith and economics are inseparable.”
Thus, church as a faith community, has a contribution to make in the economic life of the community. — GB