The Sekodi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has converted the Takoradi Jubilee Park into a market as a measure to enforce social distancing at the Takoradi Market Circle.
This follows fears of a possible spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the congested market.
The Sekondi-Takoradi Metro Director of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), James Obeng, speaking to Citi News said the assembly did not have any choice but to decongest the overcrowded inner perimeter of the Market Circle.
“The place [Takoradi Jubilee Park] is more convenient than the market centre. Here [Takoradi Jubilee Park] the women who are selling are not attacking each other. Also, individuals buying are not forcing their way through the market. So this is more convenient as we have electricity or street lights available.”
Also, he added that Takoradi Jubilee Park had “three sheds where the women can rest or go there for refuge when the sun is too high or its raining, unlike the market centre where you won’t get these facilities. There’s a toilet available here.”
Some traders who were moved to the Takoradi Jubilee Park complained about low sales due to lack of publicity.
“Nobody is buying from us here. We are just idling here under this cold weather. We don’t have a shed here.”
“This place is not really good at all. The market circle was better. All our wares are just there, nobody to buy we are just hoping that sales will catch up because this is our first day here.”
Disinfection of markets in Ghana
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is spearheading a disinfection exercise in collaboration with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) countrywide to ensure the success of the exercise.
The exercise began in the Greater Accra region on Monday 23 March 2020 with the disinfection of 137 markets.
The second disinfection exercise was undertaken within parts of the Ashanti Region and Kumasi on March 27, 2020.
The exercise was repeated in markets within the Ahafo, Bono and Bono East on March 30, 2020.
On April 1, 2020, 110 markets in the Upper West Region were disinfected.
A team of sprayers also had arrived in the North East Region to disinfect 57 markets on April 1, 2020.
