THE GUMP PROJECT TO START IN MAY- HMA MCE

The Municipal Chief Executive of Ho Municipal Assembly Hon. Fafa Adinyira  in an exclusive interview with kingnobert’s diaries assured the people of the municipality on the construction of an ultra modern market and other infrastructural facilities to begin early May in accordance with the aims of the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project .

This came to light when some market women raised concerns on some anomalies happening in the market.  According to the market women, they have been living in fears in the market as a result of incessant attacks from criminals. They said it has gone to a worst stage where these criminals have hijacked some shades in the market as “a no go area”. They extort and harass the women that fail to comply with their “directions”. The women cited a case where one of them was nearly raped by these people one evening.

Mrs. Christine Darkey one the leaders in the market said the market is without a toilet, a warehouse, potable water and security lights, and other vital amenities. This makes it very difficult for traders to move their wares to a warehouse from the draining shades during the wet seasons.

      

In response to their concerns the chief executive announced plans to begin the gump project early May, 2014. She said, as she speaks, they received the final project report on 27^th January and would be going to Tamale the following week, 26^th February for a meeting on final discussions of the project after which they would begin the tendering process.  She said considering the fund allocated for the project, it might not be enough to take care of the other projects which include an engineering land fill site, an abattoir, a police station and construction of some roads. They therefore came to a consensus with the consultant of the project; Lamda Consult Ltd to outsource part of the market project to a private developer on a Build Operates And Transfer (BOT) agreement. The proposed site for the landfill is Akrofo Heviefe and that of the abattoir Sokode.

The GUMPP (Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project) aims to improve the living conditions in urban areas for the inhabitants of the four selected cities of Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale and Ho. The project will promote sustainable development from a financial, environmental, and social perspective.