The New Juaben Municipal Assembly has taken steps to relocate traders on the streets to the Zongo market as a measure to decongest the central business district in Koforidua.

Pursuant to that, the assembly is revamping the Zongo market, which has the capacity of accommodating about 300 traders by constructing a fence wall to provide security and a modern toilet facility to improve sanitation.

The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Gyasi who disclosed this at a News briefing in Koforidua noted that, his outfit had already met the various trader associations to solicit their support.

According to the MCE, in order to have the full support of the traders involved, his outfit had instituted a team made up of all the stakeholders to embark on a massive sensitization drive for the traders to understand the need for them to relocate to the Zongo market.

The Zongo market was built some years ago to accommodate the many traders who could not get stalls at the central market known as “Juaben Serwa”, but it had been abandoned over the years with the traders complaining of low patronage because it was outside the central business district.

The MCE further indicated that to address the issue of low patronage, special marketing days would be instituted for the zongo market aside the normal market days for the central market and construct a modern lorry park to facilitate movements.

He called on the media to support the assembly to be able to execute this plan to the fullest adding that the issue of trading on the streets was a concern to all especially the safety of the traders as well as other road users.

On sanitation, he disclosed that plans were far advanced with the Zoomlion Company limited in building a compost plant at the landfill site in Koforidua which would serve other districts as well.

He was of the view that the charges for the household dustbins were high, so in order for many households to sue them to address the sanitation challenges, the assembly was initiating moves to reduce the charges.