Phase one of the redevelopment of Kumasi Central Market to take off.

Phase one of the redevelopment of theKumasi Central Market is set to take off.

     It will involve construction works at the Kejetia lorry terminal andwill last between 24 to 30 months while phase two and three would commence afterthe completion of the first phase and these would take place at the centralmarket itself.

    This was contained in a press statement issued in Kumasi last Wednesdayby the mayor of Kumasi Mr. Kojo Bonsu and made public at the press conference.

    The reconstruction of the Kumasi Central Market follows the approval lastyear by parliament of a loan facility to redevelop the market into a modernone.

    According to the mayor, the project had been awarded to Brazilian firm,known as Contracta and geomapping had been conducted while various institutionsthat had key role to play, including the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG),Ghana Water Company and the Lands Valuation Board were doing the necessaryworks that were supposed to be done.

    Mayor Bonsu said a company- Engineering Systems and Services Limited hadalso been employed by the contractors to do registration of the traders and theAssembly was designing a strategy to enable it capture the rightful owners.

â??To this end, a biometric registrationwould be carried out with the bio-data of the rightful owners captured andstore on the data base that could not be altered â??he added.

      The KMA boss said:  â??store ownersare therefore assured that upon completion of the market, they will be giventhe first option for the stores before any considerationâ??.

     Mayor Bonsu announced that the Assembly and Contracta had identified theAdehyeman and Royal markets for the relocation of the Kejetia traders.

      He, however , stated that only traders plying their trade in variousshop at the Kejetia lorry  terminal whowould be affected by the phase one of the project would be relocated to thesealternative markets for free.

He said transport operators at the Kejetialorry terminal would equally be relocated to various sites which will includeRace Course, Afia Kobi market and Sofoline.

     Mayor Bonsu said legal owners of the buildings that would be affected wouldbe compensated.

Addressing the media personnel Mr.Jorge Tavares de Almeida the Project Director of Contracta said the company wasready to start work and therefore solicit the support from the public. 

Present at the programme were  Hon. Nana Kofi Senya , KMA PresidingMember,  Mr. Carlos Gala the ProjectManager for Contracta ,Mr. Emmanuel Danso , a consultant to the company  and Heads of Department at KMA.