The leadership of the Konkomba Yam Market has appealed to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to reconsider plans to construct a 24-hour economy market at the site of the existing market.
According to the market’s leadership, demolishing the facility to make way for the proposed project could disrupt a major food supply chain and affect thousands of traders and workers.
Speaking at a press briefing, Secretary of the Council of Leadership of the Konkomba Yam Market, Tanyam Anthony, described the market as an important food distribution hub serving Accra and surrounding areas.
“It will interest you to know that this area is a food basket of Accra, which feeds the national capital alongside its neighbouring markets,” he said.
Anthony explained that the Konkomba Yam Market facilitates the distribution of yams to destinations across Ghana and abroad, contributing to employment and foreign exchange earnings.
“The Konkomba Yam Market in particular is a venue where yams are acquired and exported to several locations, both locally and externally,” he said.
He stressed that traders were not opposed to the government’s 24-hour economy initiative but questioned the need to establish the project at a location already serving a similar economic purpose.
“We admit that the decision or the idea for the proposed 24-hour economy is a laudable one,” Anthony said.
“But should existing systems that are currently serving the same purpose as those intended by the 24-hour economy, should they be sacrificed by destroying the markets, especially the yam market, just to make way for the 24-hour economy?”
He urged the authorities to consider an alternative location for the proposed market while investing in improvements to the existing facility.
Anthony called for better roads, streetlights and enhanced security at the market, arguing that such measures would improve its operations without disrupting the livelihoods of traders.
“In our candid opinion, we do not think this is feasible and suggest that the authorities reconsider their decision,” he said.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Nana Achiaa Aboagye