Traders in Ho to boycott 2012 elections over delayed market project

Ho, Jan. 14, GNA - Traders in the Ho Central Market has resolved to boycott the 2012 general elections if the re-construction of the market is delayed beyond this year.

They said the project was long overdue and must take-off before the end of the year.

“We’ve seen the building plans and designs and heard about the huge money involved but we want the work to start now,” Mrs Christine Dakey, one of the traders said.

These concerns were raised at a forum organized by the Ho Municipal Assembly to brief the traders on preparations towards the commencement of the project under the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP).

Mrs Dakey said the market was no longer conducive for trading because of lack of basic modern facilities.

She said the Market could only boast of few cubicles constructed by the previous government and urged the ruling government to honour its promise to rebuild the Ho central market.

Mr Isaac Kodobisah, Ho Municipal Chief Executive explained that all was set for the projects to begin this year and that preparations towards the execution of the project, which took one-and-half years, have been completed.

He said the Assembly was investing in existing facilities to make trading comfortable and appealed to the women to exercise restraint.

On Monday, Mr Sylvanus Adzonu, National Coordinator of GUMPP said at a Press Conference in Ho that, an AFD grant worth GHC8.5 million from France was ready for the construction of an ultra-modern market, with state-of-the-art facilities in Ho.

Mr Adzonu said an ultra- modern abattoir and landfill engineering sites were other projects under the GUMP and appealed to the market women to cooperate with the Ho Municipal.

The GUMP Project, being piloted in Tamale, Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi and Ho, seeks to resolve infrastructure deficits in urban areas.