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Modernisation project for Takoradi and Sekondi markets soon
-Nkrumah
Sekondi, April 16, GNA- Mr Philip Kwesi
Nkrumah, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, on
Wednesday announced that the Takoradi Central Market and the
Sekondi Market would be modernised to facilitate economic
activities in the area.
He said plans to achieve the objective had reached an
advanced stage and explained that the Metropolitan Assembly
would be responsible for the modernization of the Takoradi
Market Circle and the Government has accepted to fund the
Sekondi market.
Mr Nkrumah who was addressing the first meeting of the
second session of the Metropolitan Assembly at Sekondi, said
plans and estimated costs for the Sekondi market have been
forwarded to government for attention.
Mr Nkrumah said the assembly has accepted the expression of
interest in the funding of the modernization of Takoradi
Central Market by a reputable financial institution and
negotiations would start soon.
He said the land administration of the Metropolis should be
streamlined to ensure maximization of investment adding,
“The opportunity for private sector development and
expansion can no longer be a subject of speculation”.
Mr Nkrumah said it was imperative to create an enabling
environment to attract investment.
He said the Assembly has already received numerous requests
for land for the putting up of buildings for financial
institutions and other development purposes.
Mr Nkrumah said a total amount of 4,900 Ghana Cedis has been
disbursed to 10 beneficiaries under the Productivity and
Income Generating Fund (Poverty Alleviation Fund) from
January to March this year.
He said the beneficiaries were mostly women and the amount
was from repayments of loans.
Mr Nkrumah noted that two of the four participating banks in
the programme have been submitting their reports to the
assembly while the remaining two banks have not been doing
so.
He said the directive by the assembly’s Credit Approval
Committee that all banks participating in the programme
should submit monthly and quarterly reports would be
strictly adhered to.
Mr Nkrumah said as part of the implementation of the pilot
phase of the United Nations Habitat Slum Up-grading project
in the metropolis, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan
Assembly Wide Slum Up-grading Fund (STMACSUF) has been
established.
He said the STMACSUF is a company limited by guarantee with
an independent board to facilitate the mobilization of
finance for slum settlement up-grading activities in low
income settlements within the metropolis.
Mr Nkrumah said to ensure successful implementation of the
project, the assembly has decided to contribute a percentage
of its annual collection of property rate into the fund.
He said an initial amount of 2,000 dollars deposit has been
put in an escrow account and the assembly intends to
contribute 3,000 dollars every quarter.
Mr Nkrumah said the direct beneficiaries of the fund would
be low income households living in settlements in New
Takoradi and Kojokrom area.
He said the wider metropolitan area was likely to benefit
from the introduction of a mechanism that would facilitate
upgrading in line with broader city level strategy to tackle
slum and settlement upgrading.
Mr Nkrumah said the Metropolitan AIDS Committee has put in
place an HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan that to reduce the
prevalence rate of the disease in the area.
He said the plan is focused on the six intervention areas of
the National Strategic framework which included prevention
and behaviour change.
GNA
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