Takoradi: The Takoradi Sub metro of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has commissioned an 11-member committee to oversee the allocation of spaces to traders at the new Paa Grant Roundabout Market. The committee will ensure that the spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Francis Ehwie Armah, the Submeter Administrator, during a short prayer and dedication ceremony to open the market, stated that the market would primarily operate on two market days: Thursdays and Saturdays, with regular trading throughout the week. He encouraged traders to make the market vibrant by gathering there to trade, suggesting that consumer demand would follow if the traders consolidated their activities at the new location.

Pastor Eric Mussey, who dedicated the grounds, offered prayers for the land, hoping it would become a fruitful space for the traders. He encouraged the women to embrace their new trading environment, combine faith with their business activities, and trust in prosperous sales.

The establishment of the new Paa Grant Roundabout Market is part of a broader strategy by the STMA to reduce congestion in the city. Initial safety concerns were raised regarding high-tension ECG cables in the area. However, Mr. Michael Dzisi, the Acting Coordinator of the STMA, assured that analyses conducted by the ECG and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission have confirmed the area’s safety. He emphasized the assembly’s commitment to the safety of its people, stating that even in the unlikely event of a cable incident, no harm would occur as the cables would fall without power.

Some traders expressed concerns to the Ghana News Agency about waste management, security, and the safe storage of their goods at the new market.