The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tano-North in the Ahafo Region, Hon. Pius Opoku, has announced plans to operationalise the long-abandoned Tanoso Market to provide traders and residents with a safe, organised and vibrant commercial centre.
According to the MCE, the move forms part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that public projects across the municipality are put to effective use for the benefit of the people.
In a statement copied to The Punch newspaper, Hon. Pius Opoku said the Tanoso Market, which was constructed during the tenure of former MCE Hon. Apraku Lartey, had remained unutilised for several years.
He noted that the continued abandonment of the facility had deprived traders and residents of Tanoso North and surrounding communities of the opportunity to engage in commercial activities in a properly planned and organised environment.
The MCE stressed that his administration would not allow public investments to remain idle when they could be used to stimulate economic activity, create employment opportunities and improve the livelihoods of residents.
He said plans were therefore underway to rehabilitate the facility and prepare it for use by traders and other businesses.
“As your MCE, I am committed to ensuring that public projects serve their intended purpose,” Hon. Opoku stated.
Rehabilitation, Allocation Of Stores.
As part of the operationalisation process, the MCE disclosed that the Municipal Assembly would work with key stakeholders to undertake the necessary rehabilitation works at the market.
The rehabilitation is expected to make the facility suitable for traders while addressing the challenges that may have contributed to its prolonged non-use.
Hon. Opoku further indicated that stores and sheds would be allocated to interested traders as part of efforts to attract commercial activities to the facility.
He said the allocation process would be properly organised to ensure that traders who are interested in using the market are given the opportunity to operate within a structured environment.
The MCE also identified sanitation and security as key components of the operationalisation plan.
He explained that appropriate measures would be put in place to ensure that the market remains clean, safe and conducive for both traders and customers.
Management Structure
To ensure that the facility does not suffer the fate of other abandoned or poorly managed public projects, Hon. Opoku said a proper management structure would be established to oversee the day-to-day running and sustainability of the market.
According to him, effective management would be critical to maintaining the facility, ensuring discipline among users and protecting the investment made by the state.
He stressed that the ultimate objective was not merely to open the market but to establish a functional and sustainable commercial centre that would continue to serve the people of Tanoso and the wider Tano-North Municipality.
Boost For Local Economy
The MCE believes that the operationalisation of the Tanoso Market will have a positive impact on the local economy.
He said a functional market would boost local commerce by providing traders with a designated space to sell their goods and services while creating opportunities for residents to access essential commodities within the community.
The initiative, he added, would also contribute to the generation of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) for the Municipal Assembly.
Increased economic activity around the market is also expected to create direct and indirect employment opportunities, particularly for young people in Tanoso and surrounding communities.
Hon. Opoku said the Assembly would therefore work closely with traditional authorities, traders, the youth and other stakeholders to ensure that the initiative succeeds.
Call For Stakeholder Support
The MCE has consequently appealed to all stakeholders to support the initiative and cooperate with the Assembly as preparations are made to operationalise the facility.
He specifically acknowledged the importance of collaboration with Nananom, traders and the youth of Tanoso in achieving the objective.
He said the successful revival of the market would require a collective effort from all sections of the community.
“My administration, in collaboration with Nananom, Traders, and the Youth of Tanoso, will take immediate steps to rehabilitate the facility, allocate stores and sheds to interested traders, ensure sanitation and security for users, and establish a proper management structure for sustainability,” he stated.
Hon. Opoku reiterated his commitment to spreading development across the municipality and ensuring that investments made in public infrastructure translate into tangible benefits for residents.
He called on the people of Tano-North to support the Assembly’s development agenda, stressing that the revival of the Tanoso Market would form part of broader efforts to bring economic opportunities and development to every corner of the municipality.
The operationalisation of the facility is therefore expected to provide a new commercial hub for Tanoso while giving traders a more structured environment in which to conduct their businesses and contributing to the socio-economic development of the Tano-North Municipality.
