Several thousands of Ghana Cedis that was sunk into the construction of a modern market complex at Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi District of the Northern Region is gradually going to the drain exactly seven years after its completion.
The market which has dozens of stores, stalls, water closet toilet facilities, with electricity and pipe borne water is wasting away as residents have refused to occupy it despite the huge sums of money pumped into the project.
According investigations, the project was initiated by the erstwhile General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong military led government but was stalled after his overthrow.
Under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 1 headed by Jerry John Rawlings moves were made to resuscitate the project but after a while it failed to make any appreciable progress with structures left at various levels of completion.
On assumption of office in 2001, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government gave the project life by committing funds from the Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) for its completion in view of its significance.
The East Mamprusi District Assembly also committed about GH� 27,000 of the Assembly�s Common Fund for its successful completion as experts promised it was going to increase its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of the assembly.
Meanwhile about GH₵ 80,000 from the CBRDP was earlier voted for this purpose but its inability to facilitate the completion prompted the assembly to consolidate the funding to make the market fully operational.
Sources however revealed at the latter part of 2007 the project was handed over to the assembly and has since been a white elephant following the lack of interest by market women to relocate to the new facility.
Conflicting reports suggest that traditional rulers were yet to perform some rituals on the market before market women and residents could begin using it though a few of the stores were allocated.
It is unclear why the assembly is reluctant in forcing residents to put the facility to good use close to seven years after its completion.
Mr. Adam Imoro, District Chief Executive (DCE) earlier promised that he was to meet Nayiri and his elders to ensure that the Nalerigu market complex was opened for commercial activities but till date his promise is yet to be met.
When newsmen visited the new market recently, sections of roofs had been ripped off by storm while weeds had over grown portions of it giving cover to wee smokers and some residents who ease themselves.
Some lunatics in the area had virtually converted the facility to their permanent homes as authorities seem reluctant in chasing them away and putting the facility into proper use.
At the current old market, there is little space which is creating congestion but the business community regardless this, feel comfortable going about their business at the old facility which is made up of only thatch sheds.
Mr. Peter Wuni a former DCE for the area under whose watch the project was completed expressed worry at the present state of the new market and disclosed that all efforts to get traditional authorities to perform rituals for the occupation of the market proved futile.
He wondered why his successor failed to take the matter up further deteriorating the facility which was completed with the aim of increasing the assembly�s IGF.
Section of residents who spoke on the state of the market were unhappy a good edifice like it is wasting away and appealed to the assembly and the traditional leaders to reach a compromise for the market to begin commercial activities
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