Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Kennedy Osei Nyarko says the Kejetia Central Market must be completed and handed over to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) by the end of August this year.
He made this observation after a meeting and inspection of the new market project by the Committee on Monday May 21, 2018.
“It is a must that the project is completed by end of August and handed over to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for traders to start coming in for trading", the MP said.
The Parliament Select Committee noted at the meeting that, a further delay in the completion of the Kejetia Central Market will negatively affecting the repayment of the loan contracted for the project.
Government planned to repay the $259 million loan for the project through monies realized from the market after its completion in two phases.
However, the first phase of the Kejetia Central Market is yet to be completed although the loan repayment timelines is drawing closer.
The committee also proposed that KMA partners with private developers to help pay compensation for the demolition of certain structures which are delaying the execution of the project.
The Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, says plans are underway to get private participation in clearing obstacles impeding the completion of the project.
"We are looking for investors who will take up the cost of demolition and later build a modern storey car park to ease pressure on the new marketâ€, he added.