The last phase of the relocation of traders at the Takoradi Market began smoothly on Monday, May 3, 2021.

Monday’s exercise comes after the Sekondi Takoradi Mayor Abdul Issah Mumin issued a May 3 deadline for the traders to cease all forms of trading activities at the Market.

Carpenters and electricians were busily engaging in various forms of activities to help with the relocation.

Several tricycles were also at hand to ferry the dismantled wooden sheds and other items to the new site.

As promised, a team of security personnel drawn from the Ghana Army, Ghana Police and Ghana National Fire Service was at hand to ensure that “no miscreant does anything untoward and also protect their wares”.

“We have seventy men and women drawn from the various security services to help ensure the relocation is without any incident. The men and women are not here to intimidate anyone so the traders should park their wares without looking over their shoulders” the Takoradi Divisional Police Commander ACP Yao Tettegah assured.

Traders who still had perishables had parked them in boxes and awaiting tricycles to convey them to the new site.

Some traders especially those selling under sheds and umbrellas complained bitterly that they have not been allotted places to trade.

“Over the weekend when we went to the new place, we saw that they have written some numbers on the floor but when I checked I did not see mine. I’m not alone. Other colleagues also share my in frustration. So now where are we going to go… I guess I have to park my stuff to the house”, Auntie Ewurasi lamented

But Sekondi Takoradi Mayor Abdul Issah Mumin who was moving round the market said the assembly will make sure that “every trader is settled at the new place”.

“In fact, we never anticipated this level of compliance. So far everything has been so smooth… the traders are moving their wares and when I went round also I did not see anyone selling and that is very commendable and excellent”.

In his estimation, over seventy percent of the traders have already moved and was hopeful that everyone will move before May 10 when the assembly will hand over the market to the contractor to begin the redevelopment work.

“We have categories of shops, sheds, stalls as well umbrella traders.it is not every trader who will get a shop, shed or stall. Those who trade with umbrellas here will go ahead and do the same at the new place. And we have made adequate provisions for them to relocate”

He admitted that: a few of the traders may not be relocated to the site. These are the category of traders who do not have shops, sheds or stalls. They are not even registered among the traders and so do not have numbers but are trading here all the same. And these categories of traders we are envisaging that they will relocate to the Jubilee Park, once we are done with the valley at Paa Grant they will all be moved to that place”.