Regional News of Tuesday, 9 August 2005

Source: GNA

Wassa DCE inaugurates Committee

Tarkwa,(W/R) Aug. 9, GNA- The Wassa West District Assembly has inaugurated a 15-member committee to reactivate the Tarkwa Central market which has been experiencing low patronage.

The 15- Member Committee has Nana Kojo Toku, Gyaasehene of Apinto, a Division of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area as its chairman. The committee was made up of five Market Women, the Assembly Member of the Layout Electoral Area, and three representatives from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and one representative each from the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council and Tarkwa Butchers' Association. The rest were the chairmen of the Wassa West District Assembly Sub- Committees on Development, Social Services and Works.

The others were one representative each from the Revenue Collection Department of the Assembly, Assembly's Security Department and the Assembly's Development Officer.

Inaugurating the Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Kwesi Ayensu, the Wassa West District Chief Executive (DCE) said that the Central market, which was supposed to be the main market, had been abandoned by most of the women.

He explained that the few who were left at the market were experiencing low patronage and therefore, threatened go on demonstration against the Assembly for allowing unauthorized markets to spring up in the town.

Mr. Ayensu said the women had also petitioned the Assembly to create a market day at Tarkwa to enable them to receive well-deserved patronage of their goods.

The DCE promised that the Assembly would speed up the renovation of the market to make it more attractive and secured.

The Central market had been abandoned by most of the women who prefer to sell their goods closed to the Tarkwa main lorry station market popularly known as 'Mbaa Gua mu'.

The location of this market creates inconvenience to both vehicular and pedestrian movement.

Most of the women GNA spoke to, said they had stores at the Central market but they claimed they had to relocate at the 'Mbaa Gua Mu' because of its high patronage. They said they were prepared to go back to the central markets if the Assembly asked them to do so.