TRADERS TAKE OVER PAYMENTS AT TAKORADI MARKET CIRCLE (PAGE 29)

The congestion around the Takoradi Central Market popularly known as Market Circle demands urgent attention from the city authorities to create the needed environment for business.
Traders have taken over the pavements from the Collins Avenue towards the Market Circle and the pedestrian walkway, while some have adopted a strategy of displaying their merchandise on trucks, which are positioned on one side of the road around the market.
Sources at the Western Regional Office of the Road Safety Commission said there had been an increase in pedestrian knockdown in that area due to congestion.
Some shop owners have described the situation as very unfortunate; saying it has become very difficult for customers to have easy access to goods on display at the shops under the round pavilion and on the opposite side of the market.
Customers of financial institutions are also seriously feeling the effects as those who go to transact business at branches of banks around the Market Circle have to struggle to get to the halls of their respective banks.
Those with vehicles have to drive round to get a place to park.
Residents say the activities of these hawkers, especially those selling foodstuff around the Market Circle, close to open drains and gutters need to be checked by the Environmental Health Unit of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.
The situation around the Market Circle improved after an earlier decongestive exercise carried out by the assembly, but that could not be sustained.
The traders are oblivious of the fact that the physical structure of the market circle is very weak and there is the need for a complete rehabilitation of the structure to avert a disaster.
In December, 2007, the assembly indicated its intention to pull down the market and construct a modern market complex.
When the Daily Graphic visited the assembly in January 2008 to find out the extent of implementation of the project, a source indicated that the designs were not ready and gave the assurance that after the Ghana 2008 football tournament there would be visible signs of the commencement of work.
A year after there is still no sign but the Public Relations Officer of the assembly, Mr John Laste, said the project had not been abandoned.
The modern market complex, he said, was viable and there were investors and local financial institutions that had expressed interest in supporting it, saying that “the consultants are supposed to make presentations to that effect after the design is accepted and approved”.
He said the Sekondi Market would also be covered and indicated that the current activities of traders around the Market Circle would be addressed.