Gov’t. to secure over €305 million to complete Kumasi Kejetia market phase II

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim has announced that an amount of €248 million signed in 2018 has increased to €305 million as a result of the delays and negotiated suspension claims on Kumasi Kejetia phase II market.

He said the constructors suspended work in 2024 when the project was 58.22 percent completed with actual construction progress at 35.5 percent, adding the constructors requested €101 million in suspension claims due to delays at the site.

Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, made the disclosure to the media following recent demonstration over the delays in completing the market by some sections of the public and explained that the challenge is due to unpaid financial obligations inherited from the previous government.

On the Takoradi Central Market redevelopment project, the Minister said an amount €48 million contract, signed in 2020 witnessed 81.62 percent completion and was also suspended, saying the constructors on site also received negotiated suspension claims amounting to €13 millions due to project delays.

According to him, government have put in place the needed mechanism to have both projects completed on schedule and rejected claims that government is deliberately delaying construction works and place on records that the challenges were passed on to the current administration by the previous government.

Government he said, have made preparations to engage the Finance Ministry and other institutions to come up with financial models to have the projects completed on schedule adding that the two markets serves as hubs for huge trading activities and impacting on market growth.

The Minister however assured that government will ensure the construction of ultra morden markets with state-of-the-art facilities to boost trading activities, employment creation, revenue, generations, jobs for transport operators which feeds into government 24-hour economy market.