The government is reviewing the design and scope of its flagship 24-hour market initiative to ensure the projects are aligned with available financial resources and can be completed within two years.
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, said the review would involve remodelling the designs and rescoping the projects, which are expected to be renamed “District Model Markets.”
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, October 5, Mr Ayariga said the decision followed consultations on how best to deliver the market infrastructure programme within the government’s available resources.
He said the government was particularly focused on avoiding delays and ensuring that the projects, once commenced, could be completed within the targeted two-year period.
“Deliberations are ongoing with a view to remodelling the designs and rescoping the project to fit readily available budget and urgent need to complete the markets within two years,” he said.
President John Dramani Mahama has already cut the sod for the commencement of the flagship markets in seven regions, while related projects are at various stages of development across the country’s 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Mr Ayariga said the government was therefore seeking to adjust the original designs and scope to make the programme more financially sustainable while preserving its objective of improving trading infrastructure.
Kumasi, Takoradi projects
The Minister also announced progress on two major market projects that have faced delays.
He said negotiations had been completed to enable contractors to return to site and complete the Kumasi Central Market Phase II and Takoradi Market Circle projects.
The return of contractors, he said, would allow the government to advance work on the two projects as part of efforts to improve market infrastructure in major urban centres.
The wider market programme is expected to support local economic development by providing improved and modern trading facilities across the country.
The proposed restructuring of the initiative is consequently aimed at matching the scale of the projects with available resources while accelerating their delivery to communities.
