News:
May 31, 2018
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development has expressed its unhappiness about delays in the completion of the Kejetia Central Market which it said will negatively affect payment of the loan contracted for the project.
The first phase of the $259 million project which is expected to be in two phases has delayed beyond schedule even though the beginning of the loan repayment timelines draws closer.
The delay in completing the project is said to be due to litigation on structures earmarked for demolition to aid completion of the Market including a structure near one of the entrances to the Kejetia enclave which blocks access to roads and drainage systems and another designated for electrical systems for the new market.
The loan repayment for the facility is expected to come from monies to be realized from the market after its completion.
During an inspection tour of the facility, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government, its Chairman, Kennedy Osei Nyarko urged the need for the completion of the new market and handed over to city authorities by the end of August this year.
“It is a must that the project is completed by end of August and handed over to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for traders to start coming in for trading.
“From there, the second phase commences, then we start finding ways of raising money from the traders to settle the loan”, he said.
The Committee proposed that the KMA partners with private developers to help pay compensation for the demolition of the obstructing structures.
“They should get a couple of investors and make an arrangement for them to pay for the demolition so they can use the part of the land for a project that compliments this one”, Mr Osei Nyarko stated.
By Christian Kpesese ghanamps.com