TAKORADI MARKET CIRCLE DETERIORATING (Page 30)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Takoradi

THE Takoradi Central Market, popularly known as Market Circle, constructed decades back, is fast deteriorating.
The facility, which is the pride of the indigenes of Takoradi, has deteriorated to the extent that something urgent has to be done about it, to forestall any calamity in the near future.
There are cracks in all the concrete railings surrounding the first floor of the market to the extent that some of them are virtually hanging and can fall at any time.
Also, most of the electric wires are exposed and have been left hanging, since the wiring of the market is not the conduit type.
It is, therefore, not strange that the market experienced fire outbreaks last year, resulting in the setting up of an investigative committee. One of the recommendations of the committee was the rewiring of the entire market.
Though the market is not congested, some of the traders have made extensions to their original stalls, thereby making some areas clumsy.
Besides, sanitation in some parts of the market is not the best and many gutters are choked.
These small gutters which are meant to carry waste water from the market to the main drainage system outside the market, are either silted up or choked.
Generally, the Takoradi Central Market has outlived the aims and objectives for which it was constructed and so requires immediate attention.
There is the need to reconstruct the market considering the current increase in population and commercial activities.
The Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Works Engineer, Nana Yaw Boateng, told the Daily Graphic that the Western Region was one of the four regions to benefit from the rehabilitation of their major markets.
He explained that in the case of the Takoradi Central Market, the whole facility would be demolished for the construction of a new one.
He said the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly (SAEMA) had advertised for consultants and that one out of four who expressed interest had been selected.
Nana Boateng said officials of the assembly had met with the consultants to negotiate on their fees.
He said they had, however, not come to a conclusion, since the consultants had not yet submitted the design and the proposed cost of the project.
The engineer further explained that the consultants’ fees would depend on the design and the estimated cost of the market project.
He added that the site plan of the market had already been given to the consultants for study.
‘’We are sure that within the next three weeks, they will come with the design and the proposed cost of the project to help us determine the fees,” he added.
Nana Boateng said after the submission of the design and the estimated cost of the project, the authorities of SAEMA would analyse them and sign a memorandum of understanding with the consultants for work to start.