General News of Tuesday, 9 June 2020

Source: GNA

Korle Klottey commences market and lorry station profiling

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The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly has resumed efforts to profile markets and lorry station within the municipality.

The exercise is to take stock of traders and transport operators within the markets for future development.

Addressing some market leaders at Tema Station and Odornaa markets, Mr Solomon Nii Adjei Tawiah, the Municipal Chief Executive, said such an exercise was necessary in order to have accurate data of traders and transport operators.

He said it is wise to take stock of what they had and scientifically try to work on their potential to see what was realistic and achievable.

Mr Tawiah said since the Assembly was carved out of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, expectations have been high, considering the location and revenue generation activities that take place within the Assembly.

He said plans are underway to improve the markets and the transport yards, making them more efficient and safe for all; "So we have been engaging the drivers, transport unions, market associations and the people at the markets."

Due to the COVID-19, he said, the programme was halted, but now we have to try to work with what we have, not to rush things.

He said the exercise successfully started with the Adabraka market, and now they are proceeding with the Tema Station and Odorna markets and hopefully we would have a well-informed data to help in doing meaningful projections.

"The desire to do more means we should not just step out but we should have the necessary information that would enable us do a lot of things."

Nii Tawiah said the exercise has never been done on this scale before and as such they are faced with a lot of challenges as many traders do not want to be in a structured system, but operate freely on their own.

He said the exercise would be replicated in all organised and satellite markets, hawkers and later to churches and mosques within the municipality.

Mr Ernest Mensah, Chairman of the Pedestrian Shopping Mall, Odornaa, expressed appreciation to the Assembly for the steps taken to maintain accurate data of traders in the municipality.

He urged the leaders of the various groups to give the necessary support to the Assembly and enlighten their members on the need for such an exercise.