We’ll stick to our 2020 deadline for Trade Fair redevelopment – MD

The Ghana Trade Fair Company Ltd (GTFCL) has revealed that it will stick to the 2022 deadline for the completion of the redevelopment project despite the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The company has been granted full permission to carry out its plans to re-develop the facility into a five-star hospitality enclave, after some tenants took the management to court over the demolition of their properties.

A Court of Appeal, on Monday, 8 June 2020, dismissed the contempt case indicating that the tenants had no proof “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The Managing Director (MD) of the GTFCL, Dr Agnes Adu, describing the ruling as good news, stated that the project, which is currently at the demolition stage, can fully take effect successfully.

She added that even though the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the project’s schedule, the company plans to meet its 2022 deadline.

“You know, the globe has come to a standstill. What this COVID pandemic means to the global economy is that it has slowed everything down, so, undoubtedly, this project will be affected. A lot of your investors and interested developers who have come on board and even are getting ready to come on board, have halted.”

“Clearly, they cannot travel into the country and even the way that the global economy has been hit hard, a lot of investors have to think twice about bringing onboard new investors but with that said, we are still sticking to our 2022 deadline to, at least, finish the convention and exhibition centre, which we think we can still meet. We may be a quarter or half behind schedule but we are sure of meeting the 2022 deadline,” she added.