STMA, NDC candidate clash over redevelopment of Sekondi Market

A DECISION by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for the Sekondi Constituency, Lawyer Blay Armah to carry out a developmental project for the benefit of market women appears to have suffered a jolt.

This follows an alleged refusal by the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to grant the developer permit to go ahead with the redevelopment.

Information available to The Chronicle indicates that the NDC candidate had written to the Assembly to grant him permit to pave a section of the Market along the beach, used for Tuesday market activities.

A copy of the letter, which is in possession of this Reporter, dated January 25, 2024 is headlined – “Intent to Pave a section of the area along the beach used for Tuesday Market Activities”.

The letter expressed intent to pave a section of the market following appeal made to the NDC candidate to help facilitate the pavement works because of difficulties the market women face.

One of the spokespersons of the Candidate, Matthew Dadzie, who confirmed the letter to this reporter in a telephone interview, could not give expenditure for the proposed project.

According to him, the candidate was ready to undertake the project for free for the benefits of the market women only for the Assembly to stop the project.

“For us, we were only waiting for the Assembly to give us the go ahead in the form of granting us permit to carry out the redevelopment only for the Assembly to say no to us”.

The Candidate, according to him, was not worried because he was only going to carry out a developmental project for the market women given the difficulties they face most particularly when it rains.

“The market women had appealed to Lawyer Blay to step in to help them pave the section, because when it rains they suffer a lot at the market. So for the Assembly to step in and stop us from carrying out the projects speaks volumes,” he said.

He went on to explain that knowing the protocols at the Assembly, they first wrote to them for permit to be granted.

But the Assembly, in their own wisdom, refused the NDC Parliamentary Candidate permit to carry out the project. This, the spokesperson mentioned, was not the first time the Assembly had denied the candidate of his good intention to give back to society.

In response to the letter written by the NDC candidate for permit, the Sekondi Takoradi Metroplitan Assembly (STMA) explained that plans were far advanced for the construction of an ultra-modern market for Sekondi.

“While welcoming your intention, we wish to bring to your information that plans are far advanced for the construction of an ultra-modern market for Sekondi”.

The response letter written and signed by Innocent Haligah, Coordinating Director on behalf of the Metro Chief Executive further explained that the Ministry of Finance had approved request for the procurement of a Transaction Advisor and bids received from prospective advisors on the project are currently under evaluation by the Project Committee of the Assembly.

The letter continued: “Incidentally, designs for the redevelopment project covers the section you intend to pave”.

As a result, it would not be economically prudent to carry out your intentions. This would prevent the need for demolition of same, prior to the commencement of the main work, which would be an additional cost to the project.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer for Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), John Laste has debunked claims that the assembly was not interested in granting access to the NDC parliamentary Candidate to renovate parts of the dilapidated Sekondi Market.

Speaking on a local radio station in Takoradi, Laste indicated that even though Mr Blay had written formally to the assembly on his intentions to renovate the market, there are already plans by the assembly to re-develop structure.

He indicated that Mr Armah was invited by the assembly to present his plan of the redevelopment of the portion in question to the engineering department of the STMA to see the way forward, but has been adamant to honour the invitation.

“We are not preventing him from doing what he is supposed to do, but the fact is that, we already have plans to renovate the market, which is the phase 2 of the Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment plan,” the STMA PRO told listeners of the radio station.

“Due to this, we have invited him to meet our engineering department and present his plan to them, so we see the way forward.”