Traders in Pusiga could endure up to two years of disruption following the demolition of the old market to make way for a new 24-hour market, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency has warned.
The NPP says the demolition and relocation process has left several traders without proper trading spaces, forcing some to construct their own temporary sheds and kiosks.
It is also accusing the Pusiga District Assembly of failing to properly plan the transition before traders were moved from the old market.
At a press conference, NPP Communications Officer for Pusiga, Sumaila Jafaru, described the process as chaotic and said traders were left to deal with the consequences on their own.
According to him, the new market site was not properly prepared before traders were moved, while the carrying capacity of the new facility is allegedly far below that of the old market.
The party says this has left some traders displaced and without adequate support from the Assembly.
Mr Jafaru further raised concerns about the location of the new market, claiming that it is situated within a residential area with houses around the site.
But what the NPP considers the most troubling issue is the length of time traders and residents may have to endure the disruption.
The party says residents were informed that the difficulties could continue for not less than two years, approximately 730 days, even though, according to the statement, construction had not yet reached the stage where a single block had been laid.
The NPP says the situation raises questions about whether adequate planning was done before the old market was demolished.
Mr Jafaru argued that the concern is not simply about constructing a new market, but about what happens to traders during the transition.
“We are not outrightly against the market – we are questioning the priority at the given time,” he said.
The party wants the government and the Pusiga District Assembly to account for the relocation process and provide clarity on how affected traders will be supported while construction continues.
It is also demanding answers on why the old market was demolished before the new facility was sufficiently developed to accommodate traders.
The NPP argues that the disruption comes at a time when the constituency is also dealing with an unfinished Agenda 111 hospital and poor inner roads.
Mr Jafaru said the people of Pusiga should not be expected to remain silent while they bear what he described as the cost of poorly sequenced development.
“Two years is not two days; it’s 730 full days,” the statement said, stressing the potential length of the disruption for traders and residents.
The party has called for a development approach that prioritises urgent needs, arguing that infrastructure projects should improve livelihoods rather than create additional burdens for residents during implementation.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com| 102.7 MHz| Pusiga
