President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned the Abirem Market in the New Abirem Constituency. The facility is expected to stimulate the local economy of residents in the area.

The market facility is made up of 70 lockable stores, 279 sheds and other critical ancillary facilities. The project, which begun in 1999 under the Agriculture Sector Improvement Project Fund, stalled after President Jerry Rawlings left office in 2000.

Past governments failed to continue the market project until the National Democratic Congress’ return to power to continue it under a different fund, the District Assembly Development Fund (DDF) by the Birim North District Assembly.

President Mahama explained that markets act as stimulus of economic activity in the country and circulate money in the local economy.

“That is the issue when it comes to changing government. Projects get stalled. Thankfully, we have managed to complete this. Markets stimulate the country’s economy and circulate money in the local economy.”

He regretted several markets were not originally engineered resulting in fire outbreaks and loss of property, reasons government has begun the reconstruction of markets like the Kotokuraba, Aboabo and promised a new one for the people of Mankessim if he wins the December polls.

“The thing is that most markets are not engineered. You see individuals start with a small table then others join in later then a market is developed. In such cases, electricity connection is done on small basis, on several occasions not done well, resulting in fire outbreaks.

Our government has begun the redevelopment of markets, the Kotokuraba one, Aboabo, Kejetia, I have promised the Mankessim people that in my next term they shall have one.”

General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia asked residents in the Akyem area not to vote on ethnic lines.

“The JB Danquah-Busia tradition is dead and gone, stop following ghost.”