Koforidua, Jan.7, GNA- The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Affram-Asiedu on Monday assured market women in the New Juaben Municipality of government's support for their businesses to thrive. He said government recognized the contribution of the informal sector to the economy and would therefore, ensure that opportunities such as loan facilities were accessible.

Mr Affram -Asiedu gave the assurance when he in the company of the Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Kwesi Adjei-Boateng and other officials of the assembly including the various market queens, visited stalls and sheds at the Central and Juaben Serwa markets and interacted with the traders. Activities at the market almost came to a halt as some of the women who were happy by the visit of the team hugged and spread their cover clothes on the floor for the Minister. They expressed gratitude saying, it was the first time a Regional Minister had visited and interacted with them in the market and urged him to use his office to speed up the renovation of the market. Nana Adjei-Boateng, responding to their request said the assembly was planning to put up a market complex with a modern car park to ease congestion in the municipality.

He assured them that their problems such as leakages of their market stores roofing would be maintained but said expansion was not feasible because that would compromise the congestion in the town. Nana Adjei-Boateng advised the women to form co-operative so that they could access the micro finance to expand their businesses.