Kasoa (C/R), June 18, GNA - The district chief executive for Awutu-Effutu-Senya, Captain Steve Kwamana Armah (rtd), on Thursday assured the travelling public that the heavy traffic congestion they faced at Kasoa would be a thing of the past when the present market is relocated by the end of the year.

He said this is a result of the almost completed multi-million cedis market complex for the town, financed by the World Bank's grant and assistance from the Ghana Government and the District Assembly. Captain Armah disclosed this to newsmen when he inspected work on the market at Kasoa. He said the idea of building the new market was to help solve the traffic and environmental problems well known with Kasoa and also improve revenue generation of the assembly.

According to the DCE when the market is relocated, it would give way for the rehabilitation of the Mallam-Kasoa-Winneba road, which is currently under construction.

He said, to make the new market properly functional, the assembly has signed a contract with Messrs Core Construction Limited in the sum of 2.5 billion cedis to provide the following facilities at the market. The facilities include, lorry park, toilet facilities, public bathhouse and urinal, fencing wall and improve drainage, adding that the inefficient layout of the present (old) market makes it difficult for efficient collection of tolls in it.

Captain Armah said the old market has over spilled unto the main Accra-Takoradi trunk road, which forms part of Trans West African Highway, sometimes creating very heavy congestion, or resulting in the knocking down of pedestrians on the busy road.

The DCE said the old market was created in a build-up area, resulting in high increase in trading activities leading to congestion and encroachment on space earmarked for refuse collection, toilet, urinals and road reservation, adding, "this has created unsanitary situation which is very difficult to tackle".

He said presently about 6.7 billion cedis has been spent on the new market and about 2500 market stalls, water, electricity and other facilities have been provided.