The newly constructed Zuarungu central Market will be opened to business very soon. The project which started on the 9th of April 2015 under the erstwhile John Mahama regime, had the first face completed in 2016/2017, but was not opened to business due to the controversy surrounding the entire cost and the design of the project.
The former District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Abugre Abole was at loggerhead with the member of Parliament for the Bolgatanga East Constituency, Lawyer Dominic Ayine over the cost and design of the project.
On 3rd February, 2020 Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine threatened to sue Reverend Emmanuel Abugre Abole, the then District Chief Executive (DCE) over the delay in commissioning the Market.
The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament in a letter asked the Chief State Attorney of the Upper East Region to institute a legal action against the DCE over what he alleged is, “a deliberate refusal to commission the Zuarungu Central Market”.
According to Dr. Ayine, the contract for 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 and completed in 2017.
He further alleged that the commissioning of the market was asked to be halted till the establishment of the Bolgatanga East Assembly in 2018.
“Subsequent to the establishment of the Bolgatanga East District, I wrote to the District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Abole, to take steps to commission the market for use by the traders.
In the said letter, I informed him that the construction of the market was in two phases and that through my efforts, phase one was completed and urged him to find the resources to ensure the construction of the phase two of the market.
In drawing his attention to the need to continue with the construction of phase two, I attached the three-dimensional (3D) drawings of the said phase two and requested that he should get in touch with the consultant, Sirron-Kpakpo Architects, with respect to how to proceed,” he added.
Dr Ayine accused the DCE of not making efforts to either have the first phase of the market commissioned for use by the traders or finding resources for the construction of the phase two, but instead “engage in the politics of vilification”.
He indicated that if within 30 days, the DCE fails to take steps to commission the market, he would institute a legal action against him.
Speaking exclusively to the new District Chief Executive for the Bolgatanga East, Mr David Amoah Akolgo, he noted that the Assembly has instituted and inaugurated a committee to ensure the Zuarungu Central Market is duly opened to boost the Assembly internally generated fund.
He noted that though he came to meet a very huge report findings on surrounding the market project, but there is the need for the Assembly to rise again. “We’ve set up a committee to open the market , the market will be openned in the first quarter of the year and then we will look into the left over portion of the land whether it is for the Assembly or the people of Zuarungu and if it is for the government and there is funding, we will build more stores, but of there is no funding, then we will use the Build Operate Transit to raise more stores which will be agreed upon at the Assembly meeting with stakeholders.
We had an Assembly meeting last year where the member of Parliament Dr. Dominic Ayine was present and it was at that meeting that we agreed to set up a committee and names has been submitted, we have a broad committee because we don’t want to do anything without consultation, so the Committee will ensure all the rightful owners of the stores get their share. We have a very huge document of a report about the market before us, but we will not go through that huge document before we open the market because the market is for us and the money spent on the project is for all of us, the needed amount left for the market project, the Assembly cannot get the money right now to complete the market, but we can open the market while we wait for the outstanding amount”.
The Zuarungu Central Market Operation committee is headed by Alhaji Mahamudu Abubakar with various reps from institutions and departments like Finance and Administration Sub committee, Social workers Sub- committee , Works Sub-Committe, Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Sub Committee , Works Department, Physical Planning Department, Central Administration, Department of Co-operative, Environmental Health Unit , Traditional Authority and Market Users Association Representatives.
Source: mywordfmonline.com/Gaspard Ayuureneeya.