Kakpayili Market deserted due to poor access, low patronage
Bad roads leading to the Kakpayili Market in the Tamale Metropolis and low patronage of the facility at have made some traders at the market desert the place to join their colleague traders at other markets.
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The Kakpayili Market is one of the satellite markets in the Tamale Metropolis serving over 15 communities.
Damaged roads
During a visit to the market yesterday, it was observed that due to recent downpours in the metropolis, most of the access routes to the market had been badly damaged.
The roads have developed deep potholes, which made it difficult for traders to transport their goods to the market.
The situation has made some of the traders abandon their stalls to join their colleagues in other markets in the metropolis.
Other traders who cannot get places in the other markets, including the Aboabo and the Tamale Central markets, now sell on pavements in the metropolis.
Visit
The Kakpayili Market was almost empty yesterday during the visit by the Daily Graphic.
Some of the stalls were in a state of disrepair, while weeds had taken over parts of the market.
Hajia Sanatu Abiba, a trader at the market, who spoke to the Daily Graphic spoke, said most of the traders had left the market due to low patronage.
She explained that because the market was difficult to access due to the bad roads, most customers preferred other markets to it.
“Most of the customers no longer come here because of the bad nature of our roads,” she stressed, pointing to some of the abandoned stalls.
The poor nature of the road leading to the Kakpayili market
Hajia Abiba said some traders who had acquired spaces at the market were not reporting to sell, thereby creating a lot of empty spaces.
“Some of the traders don’t come to the market at all. They just obtained the spaces here and abandoned them,” she added.
Ms Ayesha Sulemana, another trader, said some of the traders did not make sales of even GH¢20 a day due to the low patronage of items at the market.
“The highest sales I make in a day is GH¢9,” she said dejectedly.
She reiterated that anytime it rained heavily, the market became inundated with water.
“Because there is no drainage around the market, anytime it rains, the whole place becomes flooded,” Ayesha said.
Deity
Madam Zuwera Aminu, another concerned trader, attributed the low patronage and the near dysfunctioning of the Kakpayili Market to the destruction of a well called “Kugunaa” in Dagbani during the construction of the market.
According to her, the well was a deity that protected the place.
She was of the belief that until the well was reactivated, the market would continue to record low patronage.
Meanwhile, she appealed to her colleague traders to return to the market to give it some life.
“Some only come here on Wednesdays, which is the market day, after which they abandon their stalls,” she said.