KMA Courts Private Financiers for New Tafo Market Project

Upon the approval of the General Assembly of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), a financial institution would partner the Assembly to raise funds for the completion of the remaining work on the New Tafo (Krofrom) Market.

The project, comprising 72 open market stalls, each containing 32 individual stalls, totalling 2,304 single stalls with paved walkways and driveways in between the sheds, which started in 2008, has stalled due to irregular flow of funds.

The GH¢15 million New Tafo (Krofofrom) Market project also comprises three shopping blocks, which contain anchor spaces for banks, shops, retail outlets, leisure/administrative centre, warehouse, offices, clinic, pharmacies, and day care centre, as well as police/fire station.

The KMA, according to the Metro Chief Executive, Osei Assibey Antwi, intends to invite private participation under a Private Public Partnership, to source funding to ensure its early completion, since the project is viable and self-financing.

Tenders for the project, which is a Jubilee Project, is being undertaken by the Regional Co-ordinating Council, in conjunction with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to increase retail space in the Metropolis, were opened in September 2008, and eight contractors were awarded the contract.

Tenders for the project were open in September 2008, and the eight contractors were paid a total of GH¢1,014,558.02 as at November 2008, as 20 percent mobilisation fee of the contract sum.

The contractors are Messrs. Sir Bans Designs and Building Company Limited, Orabek Ghana Limited, A. BEK Limited, Joevid Company Limited, Messrs Attachy Construction, E. Owusu Mensah & Company, Messrs. Stanbay Limited and Messrs. Jinas Construction Limited.

Official contract documents sighted by Ashanti File mentioned the contract sums as Messrs. Sir Bans Designs and Building Company Limited; (GH¢96,862.96), Orabek Ghana Limited (GH¢96,890.30), A. BEK Limited (GH¢96,918.80), Joevid Company Limited (GH98,332.96) and Messrs Attachy Construction (GH¢226,946.00).

The rest are Messrs. E. Owusu Mensah & Co (GH¢149,817.31), Messrs. Stanbay Limited (GH¢113,742.59) and Messrs. Jinas Construction Limited (GH¢135,047.28).

Situated on a 12-acre plot of land, the project comprises the construction of a main block, car park, market stalls, auxiliary floors, 72 open sheds of 2,304 store units, 32 individual stores, space for banks, offices, day care centre, refuse collection sites and toilet facilities.

Work was expected to be completed in eight months, but it stalled until actual construction works of the four-phase project commenced in July 2009, after about 1,900 traders and 20 transport operators had been displaced.

The first phase of the project, which includes the construction of washrooms, cold store, bulk breaking point, food court, fire and police posts on the ground floor, was expected to be completed by March 2010.

But, it could not be completed by the rescheduled time for lack of funds, bringing the project, another quality and first-class landmark, estimated to cost GH¢15,001,023.41 then, to a standstill at a time 50% of the work had been executed.

The GH¢15,001,023.41 project, which was awarded on contract by the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, actually took off under the late President Mills administration, but remains stalled.

Under the Prof. Atta Mills administration, the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) secured funds for the continuation and redevelopment of GH¢15 million New Tafo (Krofofrom) Market project in Kumasi, as announced by the Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah.

The project was subsequently captured in the 2012 Budget, as a result of which the government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, managed to pay the outstanding debts of the contractors, but the project continued to be stalled.

Meanwhile, the KMA boss has announced at a meeting of the Assembly that modalities have been concluded for adoption to provide an additional 160 shops and 600 sheds at the market, and other 556 shops at the Atonsu Agogo market sites by the very contractors who implemented these projects, under the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP), along pre-financing lines.

He said even though satellite markets existed at Abinkyi, Adoato Adumanu, Edwenase, New Suame and Krunom, traders have taken their businesses to the streets, pavements and walkways, blaming it on the redevelopment of the Kejetia Terminal and Central Market.

Assibey Antwi urged the Assembly to approve the modalities for the construction of the additional sheds and shops to comfortably accommodate traders who were doing business in these markets before their redevelopment.

The Mayor hoped that with the collective effort of all stakeholders, there would be minimal or no congestion in the Central Business District of Kumasi by the close of the year.

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