Wa MCE Hands Over Site for Construction of 24-Hour Economy Market

The Wa Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Issah Nura Danwanaa, has officially handed over the site for the construction of the Wa 24-Hour Economy Market, assuring residents that the flagship project will transform trading activities and create a modern commercial hub capable of operating around the clock.

Speaking during the ground-breaking and site handover ceremony in Wa, the MCE said the project forms part of the Government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative, which is being implemented in all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across Ghana.

“This project is different from any other market project. It is a market that comes with everything in it. It is a 24-hour economy market because the market will run 24 hours,” he stated.

The MCE disclosed that the facility would include a kindergarten to cater for children of traders, allowing parents to conduct business while their children receive early childhood education in a safe environment.

He added that the market would also feature a clinic, a pharmacy, a police post, a fire station, sanitation offices, modern washrooms and toilet facilities to improve public health and safety.
Other facilities to be provided include warehouses for storage, ample parking spaces to ease congestion and approximately 250 modern shops for traders.

Addressing concerns about delays that often affect public infrastructure projects, the MCE assured residents that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure the contractor completes the work within the stipulated timeframe.

He explained that the Municipal Assembly, together with the project consultants, would closely supervise and monitor every stage of construction to guarantee quality delivery and adherence to the implementation schedule.

“We, together with the consultants, have the responsibility of monitoring this project. We also have the responsibility of ensuring that the contractor gets payments at the right time,” he said.

Alhaji Danwanaa revealed that an initial 10 per cent of the contract sum has already been secured, adding that 25 per cent of the Assembly’s District Assemblies Common Fund allocation has been earmarked to support the project.

According to him, the financial arrangements will ensure that the contractor has timely access to funds whenever payments become due, thereby reducing the risk of unnecessary construction delays.

He expressed optimism that the availability of funding, coupled with effective supervision, would enable the contractor to execute the project according to schedule.

The consultant for the 24-Hour Economy Market project in the Wa Municipality, Ing. Abdul Razak Batong, disclosed that the contractor is expected to complete construction of the flagship market facility within a period of 30 months.

Ing. Batong said the project forms part of the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative and expressed confidence that the completion timeline would be achieved if funding remains consistent throughout the construction period.

“The contractor is expected to construct the 24-hour economy market in a 30-month duration,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the foreman of Adams Broni Enterprise Limited, Alhassan Abdullah, identified financing as the major factor that could affect the project’s timely completion.

“The main challenge that can delay our work is finance,” he said, stressing the need for the timely release of funds to enable uninterrupted construction.