The Ministry for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development has revealed that the ongoing construction of the Odawna Market in the Korley Klottey municipality is set to be completed and commissioned by the end of July.

This was revealed by the Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah during his tour of the Market, which features a two-storey school building facility and a 40-seater toilet facility, to accompany the trading centre.

Speaking during the tour, the Minister, while acknowledging the progress made, highlighted some challenges that have hindered the completion of the project.

These include encroachment by individuals, with one building constructed within the market’s premises, and some business operators preventing the contractor from erecting walls around the market.

Mensah Korsah expressed concern about the safety risks posed by the weak or non-existent walls surrounding the market, which could fall and harm people. He emphasised the need to address these issues and ensure the market’s completion.

“Well, so we can all see that there remains a bit of work to be done in the areas where we’ve toiled, you realise that there are still some touches to be done and then the walls surrounding the market, they are either non-existent or one side looks very weak and it poses a danger because they could fall as people crowd the place. So the fear I’m expressing is that we need to work on that plus some other issues.”

“This work has toiled for about eight years, and we are determined to finish a handover end of this month. That for me is the understanding that I have of my ministry. The assembly has been informed and we are going to work around it to ensure that we indeed finish a handover.”