The Birim Central Municipal Assembly is to open the Akyem Oda Nkwantanum bulk breaking market soon; Ms Ophelia Koomson, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has announced.

Addressing a meeting of the assembly at Akyem Oda, she said parking and loading lots for some selected towns would also be created simultaneously to ensure that the market and the lorry park would become operational.

Ms Koomson said the measure is aimed at decongesting the business centre at Akyem Oda and also to ensure the free flow of vehicles and pedestrians.

She said a committee had been formed to manage the allocation of spaces to traders and other beneficiaries adding that “the committee will consult the necessary stakeholders to determine the stations to be relocated to the new station”.

Ms Koomson said, though the assembly had still not received funds under the District Development Fund, some projects earmarked to be undertaken with the funds includes the construction of a clinic at Akyem Oda old town Zongo, and footbridges at Maderina and Morning Star, all at Akyem Oda.

The rest are the construction of footbridges at Akyem Oda old town, construction of market sheds at Akyem Bantama, Yaw Donkor, Osenho and Asanteman.

Ms Koomson said, the second phase of the rehabilitation works at the Akyem Oda lorry park would soon take off adding that a procurement process was duly followed to invite investors for proposals for the construction of market stores on Built, Operate and Transfer (B.O.T) basis.

“The proposals have been discussed jointly by Management and the investors and that some consensus had been reached”.

She proposed that the Executive Committee, the Presiding Member together with Management and a legal practitioner meet the investors for final discussions on the terms of the agreement so that the final contract could be signed to enable the projects to be executed.

“This is to ease congestion and to provide a permanent and conducive atmosphere for trading and other activities”.

Ms Koomson announced to the House that the voters’ registration exercise in the Municipality had been peaceful and expressed the hope that the same atmosphere would prevail until the end of the exercise.

She urged the assembly members to continue to educate the public on the need to register and to make the exercise successful.**