News
Reconstruction of 2 major markets in Shai Osudoku begins
Work on the reconstruction of two major markets in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region has commenced.
The GH¢4.6 million project is expected to provide the Dodowa and Asutuare markets with 40 lockable stalls, 40 open sheds and a creche under the first and second phase respectively
The project being executed by the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) under the One Constituency One million Dollar government programme is expected to be completed in six months to boost the socio-economic activity of the district.
The area is one of the biggest producers of farm produce, including rice, mango, maize, cassava and vegetable, among others, but has little to show for it due to the lack of a dignified market, places of convenience, stores to house produce of traders, modern car parks and proper sheds to protect the traders from the vagaries of the weather.
The Greater Accra Minister, Ishmael Ashitey, who performed the ground-breaking ceremony, commended CODA for supporting the assembly to undertake the projects, which are indicators of the government’s belief in transforming the lives of the people through the provision of infrastructural projects.
The structures housing the previous markets, he explained, have become outmoded and do not provide any protective cover for the traders, hence the need to transform to deal with the proliferation of hawkers and unsightly littering of kiosks and containers in the cities and towns.
The minister said the provision of basic fundamental services to stimulate economic growth would improve the quality of life of the people, and urged the people to jealously guard the project to enable the contractor to ensure early completion.
Mr Ashitey charged the assembly to effectively supervise the contractor to ensure they adhere strictly to the health and safety protocols of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), adding that the workers need to wear their face masks and other personal protective equipment to safeguard themselves and the entire community against the spread of the pandemic.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CODA, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, who also presented over 4,000 nose masks for the various social and religious groups in the beneficiary communities, said the facilities would transform the socio-economic lives of the people.
He charged the contractor to recruit the labour force from the area, and also urged the people to offer the contractor the needed support to ensure that the project was completed on schedule.
The chairman of the occasion, Okukurubour Nene Tei-Kwesi Agyeman V, urged the people to report any malfeasance or unproductive altitude of the contractor to the traditional authorities, and advised those recruited from the area as artisans to obey simple instructions towards ensuring peace and harmony at the site of the construction.
The District Chief Executive, Mr Daniel Akuffo commended his predecessors for initiating the project and CODA for promoting the local economic development of the people.
Source: Ghanaian Times
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
