ANOMABO MARKET COMMISSIONED: Omanhen Calls for Cultural Preservation as Mfantseman MP and MCE Hand Over Project

The Omanhen (Paramount Chief) of the Anomabo Traditional Area, Kantamanto Amoanu XII, has called on traders and residents of Anomabo and the wider Mfantseman Municipality to prioritise the preservation and maintenance of their cultural heritage.

He made the call when the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantseman Constituency, Hon. Dr. Ebenezer Prince Kojo Arhin, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Eric Stanley Acquah, commissioned and handed over the newly completed Anomabo Market to the community.

The project, which comprises over 60 lockable market stores, is expected to provide a more organised trading environment for residents and contribute to economic activity within the community.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Kantamanto Amoanu XII expressed gratitude to the Mfantseman MP and MCE for their continued dedication and commitment towards the completion of the market project.

He also acknowledged the contribution of the previous government and its administration for initiating the intervention, stressing the importance of continuity in development projects that directly benefit local communities.

The Omanhen further appealed to residents of the Anomabo Traditional Area to remain sober, united and committed to the development of the area.

He urged the people to work together with traditional authorities, the Assembly, MP and other stakeholders to protect development projects and ensure that they serve their intended purpose for generations to come.

MP calls for clean market

The Mfantseman MP, Hon. Dr. Ebenezer Prince Kojo Arhin, also appealed to traders to make sanitation a major priority in the newly commissioned market.

He expressed concern about the allocation of resources under the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), particularly the allocation for sanitation compared with education and healthcare.

“10 percent of the DACF has been allocated to education, 10% to healthcare, but the saddest aspect is that same 10% goes to sanitation,” he said.

The MP urged traders to clean the market regularly after their daily trading activities and assured them that the Assembly would provide waste containers to support proper waste management.

He challenged the traders to ensure that the Anomabo Market becomes one of the cleanest markets in the Mfantseman Municipality.

“Promise me, Anomabo Market will become one of the cleanest markets in Mfantseman. I know you will do it,” he told the traders.

MCE assures traders of additional facilities

The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Eric Stanley Acquah, expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for the vision and initiative behind the allocation of a portion of the District Assemblies Common Fund towards the completion of Legacy projects.

He also acknowledged the presence of officials from the World Bank at the ceremony.

According to the MCE, the World Bank-supported Anomabo Market project was originally expected to come with additional market sheds. However, he explained that delays in the implementation of the project had affected the provision of the sheds.

Hon. Eric Stanley Acquah therefore appealed to traders to remain calm, assuring them that the additional sheds would be provided in due course.

He said the Assembly would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to address outstanding issues and ensure that the market provides a conducive environment for traders and residents.

The commissioning and handover of the Anomabo Market mark another step towards improving commercial infrastructure in the Anomabo community and supporting local economic activity within the Mfantseman Municipality.

The various speakers subsequently urged traders and residents to take ownership of the facility, maintain high standards of sanitation and protect the market to ensure its sustainability.