As the 19th International Trade Fair Opens tomorrow, The Ghanaian Lens can reveal that the La Trade Fair Site has for several months now not enjoyed a single drop of treated water, compelling businesses located on the premises to incur additional cost to provide good drinking water for visitors and staff.

Some businesses located on the premises complain that an attempt by the Ghana Trade Fair Authority (GTFA) to ameliorate the situation by drilling a bore-hole from which water is drawn for cleaning and flushing of toilets has rather worsened the situation as the high salinity of the water has rather contributed to facilities breaking down.

One business owner who spoke to The Ghanaian Lens complained about the fact that they have been compelled to incur additional expenses to cater for the treated-water needs of their staff members and clients.

“We don’t owe a farthing, we have paid our water bills but for some strange reason, the authorities are not making any move to ensure that supply of treated water is restored so that we would cease using this highly salinated water. We are fed up,” she pointed out.

“Look at the toilets, they have all broken down, yet we expect that visitors would troop here as part of the International Trade Fair. I can foresee a situation where the already deplorable hygienic conditions would become even worse by the time the fair ends,” the trader stated.

When The Ghanaian Lens contacted Hon. Nii Amasah Namoale, the MP for the Dadekotopon constituency, in whose constituency the Trade Fair Site id located, he said that the situation was just brought to his attention “only a few days ago, and I intend to meet with the Trade Fair authorities to find out how best we can solve the problem within the shortest possible time.”

Hon. Namoale however took the Trade Fair authorities to task for not being proactive enough in finding solutions to problems that come to their notice.

“A case in point is the case where the authorities are sitting back and allowing a Sodom and Gomorrah-like slum to start developing part of the land belonging to the Ghana Trade Fair Authority. The authorities have turned a blind eye to all these and over time, this place would become another Sodom and Gomorrah and the people would refuse to relocate. What are they waiting for?” he asked.

“This development is raising serious concerns among my constituents and I intend to see to it that the GTFA does what it must do to ensure that the place does not become the next Sodom and Gomorrah,” Hon. Namoale promised.