Mallam Atta Traders Urge Government to Speed Up 24-Hour Market Redevelopment

Traders at the Mallam Atta Market in Accra have appealed to the government to expedite ongoing redevelopment works, saying the displacement of businesses has affected their customer base and sales.

The traders said that while they support the redevelopment of the market under the government's 24-hour economy agenda, the demolition and relocation of some shops have made it difficult for customers to locate their usual businesses. They raised the concerns during an engagement with the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly on the annual revenue collection rates.

One trader, Tawulo, who sells food at the market, said business was continuing despite the demolition but appealed for the project to be accelerated. "It is true they have demolished the market, but it is only phases one and two. We only plead with the government to speed up the work so we can get more customers," she said.

The Presiding Member of the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly, Alexander Kwame Mensah Tumasi, said the engagement formed part of the Assembly's annual consultations with ratepayers before determining revenue rates for the year. He said most traders had been displaced by the coming of the 24-hour economy, that customers no longer knew where to find them and that sales had fallen, adding that the Assembly would maintain fees rather than increase them.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Ayawaso Central, Rudolf Collinwoode Williams, said the Assembly engages traders annually to discuss revenue rates and make collection easier for both the Assembly and businesses. The traders also cited choked gutters, inadequate street lighting and security concerns as challenges affecting businesses, and called for urgent attention to the drainage system to improve sanitation and help prevent flooding. They said the transition should take into account the livelihoods of traders who depend on the market for their daily income.