Tension in Cape Coast over Mills library

Some residents of Cape Coast in the Central Region have expressed anger over ruling National Democratic Congress’ decision to abandon the on-going re-construction of the Kotokuraba Market Complex to commence the building of a two-storey library complex in honour of late President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills.

The residents have indicated that the building of the “Atta Mills Library” is a misplaced priority, adding that the Cape Coast metropolis already has two libraries which have all been left to rot and do not see the need for a new one.

“We have the Central Regional Library situated here in addition to Metro Library [the two libraries] which have both become white elephants. The children do not even utilise these facilities; do they want to take us for granted or what!” an angry resident retorted.

According to the residents, the Atta Mills Library will not be of any use to the people in the area, adding that what they need most is a proper market and sports stadium – these two projects they described as highly necessary.

They have therefore sworn to teach the ruling government a bitter lesson if they continue to take them for granted and also continue to play politics with the construction of the market.

The issue, Today gathered, has generated heated debate amongst some journalists in the area with some of them who confided in this reporter on condition of anonymity questioning what the late president really did for the Central Region to merit such an honour.

In an interview with Kofi Minnow, a second-hand shoe seller at Kotokuraba, he indicated that they are very angry with government representatives in the area because of their decision and revealed that they were planning to register their displeasure in a peaceful demonstration.

Another trader, Adjoa Appiawah, who sells smoked fish at the market, stated that the government has disappointed them ‘big time’ because they were persuaded to relocate from their comfortable sheds to pave way for the construction of the market complex which they agreed because they knew it will be beneficial to them.

She indicated that they [market women] even imagined that the rainy season will urge the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly to speed up work on the market to enable them start using the facility considering how helpless and pitiful they look whenever it rains.

“All of these did not even touch their hearts and now they have abandoned the construction of the market and rather work is earnestly going on the new Atta Mills Library,” she said.

Another resident, Mr. J.K Arthur Sam, questioned why the Atta Mills Library was not started when he died to enable them commission it during his one-year celebration but authorities rather waited for about one month to his first anniversary before construction begun.

He opined that it was time politicians stopped taking people for granted and deliver on their promises to ensure that Ghanaians really have confident in the kind of leaders they choose.

It will be recalled that the Kotokuraba Market and Cape Coast Sports Stadium were the two projects people in Cape Coast have in the past five to six years been yearning for.

And the people welcomed it as good news when the NDC capitalised on these projects and used it as their campaign promise in the area thereby helping them to win the 2008 and 2012 elections.

Pictorial templates of how the market will look after completion were displayed on giant billboards and placed at advantageous positions within the metropolis, awakening some excitement in the people who have been waiting in earnest for the completion of the project until its abrupt abandonment for the new Atta Mills Library that has triggered anger amongst residents.

When this reporter visited the market construction site last Friday, the project was still at the foundation level with no worker at site. The site used to be busy with workers sometimes working very late in the night.

Meanwhile, workers were earnestly working on the Atta Mills Library when Today arrived at the place.

The paper gathered that the Atta Mills Memorial Research Library which is opposite the Cape Coast Castle will be affiliated to the University of Cape Coast (UCC).