The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) would from Thursday, August 6, begin the registration of traders at the Market circle in preparation for their evacuation to make way for the redevelopment of the market into an ultra-modern facility.

The over 100-year-old market was put on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for redevelopment, which would be executed by a Brazilian construction firm "Contracts," which constructed the Kumasi Kejetia and Central markets projects.

Mr John Laste, the Public Relations Officer for STMA, who made this known at a stakeholder meeting on the redevelopment of the market, said the registration exercise, would involve getting the names of the traders, the type of businesses they are engaged in and the location.

He said the purpose of the registration exercise was to prevent issues of wrong and inappropriate allocation of stores and stalls to traders after the completion of the project.

He said a digitized system was in place to gather the needed data of the traders and other relevant information to enhance smooth work at the market.

According to him, pictures of individual traders would be taken backed with proof of identity, utility bills, business certificate and other necessary personal information of the traders.

He explained that the reconstruction works would be in two phases with the first phase focusing on the inner parameters of the market while the phase two would involve the construction of Ebirewfom, Airport ridge taxi stations and stores around the Avor hotel.

Mr Latse said the affected traders under the first phase would be relocated to temporary structures around the Takoradi Council quarters, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and opposite Dadzie's bakery.

The PRO said hawkers around the market circle would be registered but that would not be an assurance that they would get stalls in the ultra-modern facility after its completion.

He cautioned the traders not to offer money to people who might promise to give them places after the redevelopment of the market.

Mr Emmanuel Danso, a representative of the construction firm, said the firm would do its best to complete the project on schedule.

The project when completed will boost commercial activities in the city, reduce vehicular and human congestion around the central business district in the Metropolis, increase the number of rentable shops, increase internally generated funds mobilization, improve safety and security in and around the market as well as increase infrastructural facilities such as toilets, covered drainage network and health post.

The Takoradi market circle has about 10,000 daily traders with a total capacity of 2.980 stalls and 642 stores making it the largest market in the Western Region.