The government is to redevelop the Aboabo Market in Tamale into a modern trading hub to accommodate more traders, improve trading and economic activities under the 24-Hour Economy initiative.
The project will involve redesigning the market and completing abandoned and unfinished structures to create additional space and improve facilities.
The market which is one of the oldest and largest wholesale and retail markets in northern Ghana has not undergone any major redevelopment in recent years.
Currently, the market is heavily congested with many uncompleted structures.
This came to light when the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, toured the market to assess its condition and engage market leaders and traders on the proposed redevelopment.
He assured traders that nobody would be evicted to make way for the project, saying the government intended to improve the existing facilities and expand the market's capacity.
“We are not here to sack anybody.
We have no plans of sacking anybody. We are here to develop what you are already managing so that it can take more people,” he said.
The assurance follows concerns among traders over rumours that they would be evacuated to make way for the project.
Mr Ayariga added that completing the unfinished structures would prevent resources already invested in the market from going to waste.
Market redevelopment
Mr Ayariga said the government would draw lessons from the phased development of the Kejetia Market in the Ashanti Region for the Aboabo market project.
A section of the Tamale Aboabo Market
He recalled seeing unfinished market pillars during his school days in Tamale, and said he had only recently learnt that the project was started under the administration of a former Head of State, Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
24-hour economy
The minister said well-developed markets were essential to commercial activities and the success of the government's 24-Hour Economy initiative.
He explained that as urbanisation reduced the availability of farmland in Tamale, commerce was becoming increasingly important to the local economy.
For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, said the redevelopment would improve trading conditions and strengthen Tamale's position as a major commercial centre in northern Ghana.
He added that a modern market infrastructure could create economic opportunities and improve the management of commercial activities in the metropolis.
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