Women who sell at the Bolgatanga Old Market are calling on authorities to ensure they have access to locked stores and sheds that were allocated to people many years ago but have remained unused.
The traders are calling on the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly to immediately re-allocate the facilities for economic boost.
Since the last quarter of 2008 till date, the Bolgatanga Old Market stores and sheds were allocated to traders after the rehabilitation.
Before the rehabilitation of the old market, the traders were relocated to the current market. However, about 85 per cent of them refused to return to the refurbished market after paying for the stores and sheds.
This has therefore affected trading at the new market with low patronage.
The market women at the old market are now frustrated and are calling for re-allocation of the stores and sheds to people who wish to come and trade with them.
The market Queen of the Bolgatanga Old Market, Linda Akupa expressed worry on the situation which is affecting sales and slows economic activities in the Municipality.
“Those locked stores belong to people who are doing business in the New Market; they’ve stored their goods there and aren’t present with us in the old market. As a result, there aren’t many of us here in the old market.
“Look, it’s a market day, and you see how few people are around – we’re often just a handful of people in this market every day. The locked stores were discussed when we assembled; people suggested reallocating them to those who want to operate in the old market, so we could have more traders here and coexist. If someone pays for a store but isn’t using it and keeps it locked, they should consider relinquishing it to someone who wants to trade here.
“It’s unfair they lock up stores and trade elsewhere while we’re struggling with low numbers here. We didn’t ask for newcomers from the New Market to be forced here, but having two or more thriving markets could be beneficial,” she said.
“We urge the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) or the Minister to intervene and allocate the locked stores to traders who want to operate here, so we can have more people trading in the old market and foster a sense of community.
She expressed how there would be mutual benefit if a lot of the shops are opened for other goods to be sold.
“If a store is given to someone selling tomatoes or other goods, there’s potential for mutual benefit – for instance, they might buy my rice or gari, creating commerce opportunities.”
They directed their plea to the District Chief Executive and the Minister, sayiing “we’ve been expressing our needs since we started here, yet nobody’s come to genuinely inquire about our problems or engage with our women, wives, and children about their challenges. It seems they’re only interested when it comes to collecting money for the stores.”
In a telephone interview, Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Roland Atanga Ayoo stated that the Assembly is exploring the redevelopment of the market to reallocate stores and sheds to new traders, aiming to boost productive and economic activities within the municipality. He noted that three task forces and working committees have been established to oversee the market’s redesign and development.
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