The District Chief Executive of Bolgatanga East, M. David Amoah, has informed the traders in Zuarungu that the distribution of newly built market stores, which are anticipated to open shortly, will be transparent and free of any political affiliation.
He said that a committee established for the pre-allocation of the stores would make sure that fresh applications would be considered after those whose stores had already been demolished prior to construction.
The District Chief Executive said the committee had already prepared a list of such traders, whose stores were demolished for the construction, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Zuarungu, in the Upper East Region. He urged everyone to dispel any rumors that the allocation would be given to party officials.
“There are 50 lockable stores, and they will be allocated on a one-on-one basis and, therefore, if anyone had even more than one store before the demolishing took place, he or she cannot be served the same number of stores,” the DCE said.
Mr David Amoah said the Assembly would consult with stakeholders and the traditional authority, especially the Paramount Chief of the area, who is a member and leader of the committee, to help in the transparent allocation of the stores.
The DCE also noted that the engineering unit of the Assembly would soon complete the labelling of the stores for the allocations.
He said the district needed to improve on its internally generated funds (IGF) and the opening of the stores and provision of daily tickets will improve the income of the Assembly while other businesses would come up to boost development in the area.
There was an earlier controversy over the market projects between the last administration, particularly the former DCE and the Member of Parliament, (MP) for the area, Dr Dominic Akuritenga Ayine over the pricing and specifications of the stores.
To this end, the MP threatened to sue the former DCE Reverend Emmanuel Abugre Abole, over delay in commissioning the Market.
The construction of the first phase of the market was awarded by the Ministry of Trade and Industry through the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly in 2014 and construction work began in 2015, scheduled to be completed in 2017.
However, work was brought to a halt due to the preparation and commissioning of the district.