$72m Market Complex for Kumasi

The Kumasi Central Market covering a ground area of about 25 acres is to be re-designed and reconstructed into an ultra-modern shopping complex at an estimated cost of $72 million.

The new design would shoot its present capacity of 8,000 stores and "table top" shops to 45,000 stores and shops in a five-storey sprawling structure.

The Chief Executive of Kumasi Metropolitan Authority (KMA), Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, disclosed this while presenting a paper - "My Vision for Infrastructural Development of Kumasi Metropolis" at a seminar organised by the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GIE).

Jumah said the state of infrastructural development in Kumasi is not the best as KMA's failure to enforce its own bye-laws has greatly led to the uncontrolled and haphazard development in the metropolis.

He attributed the situation to people's attitude of not acquiring permits from the assembly in accordance with the law.

"Physical developments in Kumasi have been out of control for years as people build anywhere without bothering to acquire permits as required by law," he stressed.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) said with support from the Central Government and private investors, he would institute long-term and self-sustaining measures to address the problem of liquid and solid waste in the metropolis permanently.

"It is in this direction that we are actively collaborating with private investors to explore the possibility of acquiring a plant to generate electricity at a cheaper cost from the incineration of refuse.

As part of his vision to make Kumasi the model city, the mayor announced plans to construct transport terminals on major routes leading to Kumasi.

He said investors are welcome to build multi-storey car parks to decongest the city.

Mr. Frank Akwaboah, president of the local branch of GIE, assured of the engineers' assistance to make the KMA boss' vision a reality.

Eng. Akwaboah suggested contracting a private professional firm by KMA to co-ordinate its building inspectorate duties to ensure that building permits are processed quickly and unauthorised structures are detected early for demolition.