Africa-Press – Ghana. President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the construction of the maiden 24-Hour Market at Dormaa Ahenkro, to provide round-the-clock trading access in the Dormaa Municipality of the Bono Region.
The ceremony took place in Dormaa Ahenkro, on day one of the President’s two-day tour of the Bono Region.
The tour is to enable the President inspect ongoing government projects, break grounds for the construction of new ones and to commission completed projects.
The 24-Hour Model Market Initiative, which is an initiative under the Government’s flagship programme, the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme has been designed to play a pivotal role in reducing congestion in Ghana’s major markets while enhancing productivity and local economic growth.
President Mahama in his address announced that each of the 261 District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country, would have a 24-Hour Market.
He noted that each of the 24-Hour Market would have facilities such as shops, restaurants, an office space, a clinic, a Police Station, a Fire Station, a cold store, lorry station, a section for vegetable sellers, a Day Care Centre for the children of the women traders and a bank.
President Mahama said they would be starting with the Women’s Development Bank, which is yet to be inaugurated.
He noted that traders who were displaced for construction works to begin on the 24-Hour Market would be given the first priority in terms of space allocation upon its completion.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, the Paramount Chief of the Dormaa Traditional Area and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, commended President Mahama for stabilizing the cedi and the economy.
He also thanked President Mahama for undertaking the construction of major construction roads within the Region.
He said one major industry in the Dormaa Traditional Area was the poultry industry and that recently eggs that were being exported to neighbouring Burkina Faso were seized and destroyed in that country.
He therefore appealed to President Mahama to conduct an investigation into the matter.
On his part, President Mahama assured the traditional ruler that he could get in touch with his Burkinabe counterpart to ascertain what went wrong.
From Dormaa Ahenkro, President Mahama then proceeded to inspect the ongoing construction works on the Jinijini-Sampa road.
