The Chief of Staff, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has expended close to GHc1 million procuring materials for reconstruction of parts of the Bantama Race Course market that got burnt on March 11, 2024.
The Chief of Staff has, so far, spent about GH¢800,000 in procurement of 60 packets of roofing sheets, 500 bags of cement, 2,400 pieces of galvanised poles, 6000 pieces of lumber, 30 boxes of nails and 30 tons of iron rods.
She also supplied 50 trucks of sand and 20 trucks of chippings for filling up the muddy area, besides the hiring of excavators and earth moving machines for the rehabilitation works.
The gesture, the third in three months, follows a distress call on the Chief Administrator by the leadership of market traders.
The clearing of the debris and the reconstruction work is expected to be completed within a month, under the supervision of the Engineering and Environmental departments of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).
Besides the rebuilding of market stalls, the project will also entail the erection of a defence wall against flooding of the area by the Subin River and levelling of the hitherto undulating landscape to make it more habitable.
Last December, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare also presented building materials worth about GHC150,000 for the reconstruction of the portion of the market that was gutted by the fire outbreak which affected 70 traders.
Earlier in November 2023, she had contributed towards the proposed facelift project of the Race Course market at Bantama in Kumasi by donating 15 trips of sand and stones and 300 bags of cement for the pavement of parts of the market in addressing the muddy areas of the market.
The Queen mother of the Bantama Race Course market, Nana Afia Kyeiwaa on behalf of the Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, traders and victims thanked their benefactor for the quick response to alleviate their plight.
According to her, the Chief of Staff has, at all material times proven by her deeds that she is a caring mother who had the welfare of traders and women in general.
The traders wished her well in her political career and aspirations.
Nana Afia Kyeiwaa noted that the assistance would go a long way to create a convenient and a healthy environment for them to ply their trade.
