Market women at Mamponteng in the Kwabre East Municipal District of the Ashanti Region have issued a one-month ultimatum to the government to complete the long-stalled Mamponteng Market project or grant them permission to mobilize their own resources to finish the facility.
The aggrieved traders, led by the Mamponteng Market Queen Mother, Madam Akua Achiaa, say they have endured years of economic hardship and unsafe trading conditions due to the delay in completing the market infrastructure. According to them, the prolonged abandonment of the project has disrupted commercial activities, reduced their income levels, and exposed them to serious health and safety risks.
Addressing the media during a press conference at the market site, Madam Akua Achiaa expressed deep frustration over what she described as neglect and lack of urgency in completing the project. She noted that many traders are compelled to operate under the scorching sun and during heavy downpours, while others ply their trade beneath high-tension electricity lines, posing grave danger to their lives.
“We are suffering. Every day we trade under the hot sun and in the rain. Some of our women are even trading under high electricity tension, and this is affecting our health. We cannot continue like this,” she lamented.
She stressed that the market women have reached a breaking point and are prepared to take decisive action if the government fails to respond within one month. According to her, the traders are willing to secure loans from financial institutions to independently complete the project in order to create a safe and conducive environment for their businesses.
“We are giving the government one month to complete the project. If nothing is done within that period, we will go to the banks, secure loans, and complete the market ourselves. We are ready to use our own funds so that we can have a safe and decent place to trade,” she emphasized.
Several other traders who spoke at the engagement echoed similar sentiments, recounting how rains frequently destroy their goods and how prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions has led to recurring health challenges. They indicated that declining sales, coupled with unsafe trading spaces, have significantly affected their livelihoods and family welfare.
The women maintained that the completion of the market would greatly improve sanitation, enhance safety, and create a more organized trading environment that would attract more customers and stimulate economic growth in the area.
Adding his voice to the appeal, the Mamponteng Kontihene, Nana Owusu Ansah II, called on the government and relevant authorities to expedite work on the project. He underscored the strategic importance of the market to the local economy, describing it as a vital commercial hub serving Mamponteng and surrounding communities within the municipality.
Nana Owusu Ansah II urged authorities to treat the matter with the urgency it deserves, noting that the timely completion of the market would not only safeguard livelihoods but also contribute significantly to local economic development in the municipality.
The market women say they remain hopeful that the government will respond positively within the stipulated timeframe, but insist they are fully prepared to take independent steps to secure a safe and dignified place to trade if their concerns are not addressed.
