All set for Takoradi market reconstruction project — Assembly

The management of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) will from next Monday begin relocating traders at the old Takoradi Central Market (Market Circle) to a temporary site. The move is to make way for the market’s demolition and reconstruction.

The relocation exercise follows the successful collection of data and remarkable improvement in work done at the site where the traders are being moved to.

The Public Relations Officer with the STMA, Mr John Laste, said the relocation exercise would take off on February 15, this year.

He said the assembly had considered features that would go to make the place congenial for the traders to carry on with their activities. In addition, he said, the place was well secure.

Relocation plan

The relocation process, he said, would be carried out in seven phases and would continue until March 5. He said the phases were structured in a way that made it easy for the traders to settle in comfortably.

“Per our programme of work, all traders would have been successfully moved to the temporary market by March 5, this year, in order to hand over the original market to the contractor who is ready to begin work,” he said.

Handing over site

The Resident Civil Engineert at the STMA, Mr William Teye Kpoti, said other than handing over the market to the contractor, all conditions necessary had been met for the commencement of the work. 

He said significant progress had been made towards making the new site hospitable. Among the works being done, he said, was the construction of stores which was still ongoing.

He said the grounds had been filled with imported laterite and had been well compacted while the construction drains were also progressing steadily.

“We would want to assure the traders that the assembly was mindful of their safety at their new but temporary location.”

Project background

Last year, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, cut the sod for redevelopment of the Takoradi Market Circle to begin.

The project will cost €48 million and is being financed by an export credit from the Deutsche Bank S.p.A Italy, with export credit guarantee support from SACE, the Italian export guarantee agency.

Messrs Contracta Costruzioni Italia SLR is the contractor on the project which is expected to be completed in 30 months.

Features

When it is finished, the new market will have 2,408 stores, 33 restaurants and food courts, bulk breaking areas, a visitors’ car park, union offices, a police station, a fire station, a post office, a clinic, administrative offices, a waste separation dock and changing rooms for staff.

By providing it with fire detection equipment and fire combatting systems, the underlying cause of fire outbreaks that were usual at the market is expected to be addressed.

The drainage system at the market is also to be upgraded to alleviate the flooding. Additionally, there will be improvements done to social infrastructure including toilets, sanitation facilities and health posts.

Work will also be done to ease traffic congestion in the areas that surround the market through the provision of on-site bulk breaking facilities while a lot of activities will also be taken off the main Market Circle Road.

The project is expected to create between 400 and 500 direct jobs and between 1,000 and 2,500 indirect jobs.