The Ga West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Clement Wilkinson, said the amount was used for the construction of sheds, paving of the ground, installation of streetlights and the construction of washroom facilities and a mosque.

Part was also used to secure an additional parcel of land for the expansion of the market.

Mr Wilkinson disclosed this to the Daily Graphic after an inspection tour at the market on March 27, 2022.

Before the relocation, the MCE said, only two sheds had been erected at the market, “but now we have added 12 sheds, making them 14 in total,” he said, adding that that alone cost about GH¢1.5 million.

“The project is being sponsored by both the assembly and the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), so I cannot tell exactly how much has been spent on each project, but I know that in total about GH¢5 million has been spent,” Mr Wilkinson said.

The tour was to inspect ongoing projects and also get first-hand information on the challenges confronting traders at the market.

The Daily Graphic, about a month ago, published an article about its observations on the plight of the traders, more than six months after they had been relocated from Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku in Ga West.

The publication highlighted the inadequate amenities and limited sheds in the Onion Market.

In the publication, the traders complained about limited washroom facilities, outdoor lighting and lack of potable water, a mosque and storage rooms.

During the tour by the MCE, it was observed that the assembly had begun the construction of a mosque at the market, scheduled to be completed in six months.

It had also connected pipe-borne water to the market, a development which had significantly improved the water situation for the over 1,000 traders.

More development

Mr Wilkinson said the construction of the washroom facility, which is yet to commence, was expected to be completed in October this year.

“We have done so much for this market, more than any other market in this municipality, because we want to create a harmonious environment between the traders and the inhabitants of the community.

“It’s not possible for us to provide everything at the same time; it’s a gradual process, but we have completed the major parts of the project,” he said.

He said although some aspects of the project had not yet commenced, money had already been paid to constructors, while land had been secured for construction.

Revenue

Asked if the assembly was raking in enough revenue from the market, he said revenue collection at the market commenced recently, explaining that the assembly gave the traders some grace period for them to adapt to the area.

“We have estimated that we can make between GH¢200,000 and GH¢300,000 per year and we are going to use some percentage of it to expand and maintain the project,” he said.

He said about 50 truckloads of onion were offloaded at the market each day, attracting about 1,000 traders from about 18 communities in five regions in the country.

That, Mr Wilkinson said, had increased the market value to about GH¢15 million per year.

“This shows how prominent this project is and the government is doing its part to improve it. More things are in the pipeline and the idea is to ensure that this also improves the economic situation in the area,” he added.