AMA to embark on $840m markets redevelopment project
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) will from July this year begin the redevelopment of selected markets within the metropolis.
The re-construction, which would be under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, is estimated to cost $840 million.
The markets are Mallam Market, 31st December Women’s Market, Mallam Attah Market, Tuesday Market, London Market, Salaga Market, Kantamanto Market, and the Makola Annex II (PWD Kwasiadwaso Market).
There would also be the construction of some social amenities such as a multi-purpose car park, a city corner project which involves the re-development of existing plots of AMA`s land at West Ridge into a modern mixed use development facility and residence for AMA staff, and a convention centre project which involves the construction of a one-stop state-of-the-art facility in Accra.
All the projects are expected to be completed within a seven-year period.
Benefits of the redevelopment
At the opening ceremony of a two-day sensitisation workshop to discuss the details of the project with traders of the selected markets, the Chief Executive Officer of the AMA, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, said the redevelopment project formed part of steps initiated by the assembly to redevelop the Accra metropolis into a millennium city.
He said at present, a total of 11,850 traders are occupying the various market centres. It is expected that the redeveloped markets would provide additional space to accommodate 25,300 traders.
He said the reconstructed markets would have improved sanitation facilities, provide better security and amenities in the market, and prevent the incidence of fire outbreaks while providing basic facilities such as clinics, day care centres among other facilities to improve users’ experience.
On how the AMA plans to relocate the traders on takeoff of the reconstruction, Mr Vanderpuije said traders would be allocated to some portions of the market to pave way for the first phase of works to begin.
He also assured the traders that they would get spaces in the reconstructed markets when they were completed, saying that “the traders who currently occupy the market would be the first recipients of the spaces in the new market”.
Redevelopment details
Giving a breakdown of what the redevelopment project entailed, Mr Isaac Ocquaye-Allotey, a Senior Partner at Cnergy Ghana Limited, the transactional advisors for the Convention Center Project and the Corner City Project, said the Convention Center Project was estimated to cost US $156.56 million.
That, he said, would comprise an auditorium for conferences, a multi-purpose building with offices, hotel accommodation, a specialised office for the traditional council and a car park.
The Corner City Project, he said, was expected to cost $307.44 million and that would include a 100 units of three-bedroom apartments for the AMA staff, as well as 106 units of two-bedroom and 68 units of three-bedroom apartments which would be rented out to the public.
Mrs Ellen Fayorsay, a Senior Partner at Deloitte and Touche, in her presentation said the redevelopment of the Makola Market would cost $29,046,600.
That, she said, would include three floors dedicated to perishable food products, four floors of multi-purpose blocks for shops, a crèche and a clinic, and a seven-floor tower block for offices and businesses.
