The Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development has called on government to hasten the commencement of Phase Two of the Redevelopment of the Kejetia-Central Market Project.
Touring the $198million Phase One project Site, the Chairman of the Committee, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, who was highly impressed, it was a “good project that is going to solve the problem of our mothers who are doing petty trading here.”
He thus called on government to “double its steps to ensure that the phase two and phase three of the project comes to life.”
The Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Osei Assibey Antwi explaining the urgency of the need for the commencement of the second and third Phases said “the second phase and first phase are intertwined, without the second phase; the first phase is not going to be marketable. We need the second phase to combine with the first phase to make it an economic entity that is going to be in the interest of the people and generate the money to help KMA and the central government.”
He added that controversies and challenges outlined by stakeholders on the first Phase will be addressed in the second phase of the project.
Transport Union Operators had earlier criticised the KMA for turning the Kejetia Bus Terminal into a shopping Arcade.
They raised concerns about the inability of drivers to load and offload goods in the space provided for them.
However, their fears were allayed when stakeholders met with them to reach a consensus on how to address the issue.
Meanwhile, the structures erected around the Phase One project site which has stalled the progress of the project are set to be demolished soon.
Ruling
The long-standing legal tussle between a private company, All-State Construction Limited and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly was finally resolved by the Kumasi Traditional Council on Friday, February 2.
The Kumasi Traditional Council ruled that the structures belonging to All-State Construction Limited be demolished to pave way for the completion of the first phase of the project.
Valuation of the structures for compensation procedures is currently underway.
The First phase of the project which was slated for completion in January 2018, is now set to be finished by April 2018.
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By: Loretta Timah/citifmonline.com/Ghana