Work starts on new market for Haatso

The Ga East Municipal Assembly in Accra has cut the sod for the construction of a two-storey structure to be used as a market for traders at Haatsoo.

The edifice, which would have 44 spacious rooms, is expected to be completed in four months.

When completed, the market is estimated to give employment and improve the income of more than a 1,000 people in the municipality.

Addressing a gathering at the sod-cutting ceremony on Friday, the Municipal Chief Executive of Ga East Municipal Assembly, Mr John Kwao Sackey, said the construction was being done according to a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) system.

BOO is a public-private partnership (PPP) project model in which a private organisation builds, owns and operates a facility or structure with some degree of encouragement from the government. 

Although the government does not provide direct funding in this model, it may offer other financial incentives such as tax-exemption. The developer owns and operates the facility independently for a number of years.

Food insecurity

Mr Sackey said one of the known factors that led to food insecurity in Ghana was the unavailability of markets for farmers to sell their produce.

He said the completion of the market and others which the assembly intended to undertake would propel farmers to increase their yield and bring about an improvement in the socio-economic life of the people.

Mr Sackey, however, appealed to the beneficiaries of the facility to put in place effective policies to protect it and ensure its sustainability.

He also urged businesses within the municipality to honour their tax obligations promptly to enable the assembly generate more revenue for other development projects.

Haatso Mantse

The Chief of Haatso, Nii Armah Sogblah II, commended the assembly for its effort to ensure that market women within the municipality get a better edifice for their trading activities.

He stressed the need for residents in the municipality to contribute their quota to develop into their respective communities.