President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the construction of a modern 24-hour market in Dormaa in the Bono Region.
The ceremony on Wednesday opened the first leg of the President’s nationwide Accountability Series, which he said was designed to bring government directly to the people and ensure that development reached every region of the country.
“The purpose of this exercise is simple: to account to the people of Ghana and to ensure that development reaches every region,” President Mahama said,
He added that after one year in office his administration had taken deliberate steps to ensure public funds were directed into projects that improved lives.
He described the groundbreaking as more than a construction milestone.
“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is not just about infrastructure , but about opportunity. Markets remain the backbone of our local economies. They support livelihoods, encourage trade, and serve as centres of community life,” he said.
The Dormaa market, President Mahama said, would be built to serve the full range of a trader’s daily needs. Beyond trading spaces for clothing, electrical goods, and foodstuffs, the facility will house an administrative office, a daycare centre, a restaurant area, a police station, a fire service post, a clinic, a cold store, banking facilities including a women’s development bank, and a transport terminal.
He said the Dormaa facility was one of 261 modern markets his administration was rolling out across Ghana’s districts. “Across the country, we are rolling out 261 modern markets in districts to expand economic activity beyond traditional hours and create more opportunities for traders and young people,” he said.
He assured traders displaced by the redevelopment that they would be given first priority in the allocation of shops when the facility is completed.
On the economy, President Mahama reported that inflation had dropped from 23.4 percent and that the cedi had moved from 17 cedis to approximately 10.7 cedis to the dollar.
He also said the debt-to-GDP ratio had been brought down from 66 percent to the 45 percent target within a year. “These gains did not happen by chance , they are the result of discipline, careful management, and a clear focus on restoring confidence in the economy,” he said.
President Mahama also addressed a matter raised by the Dormaahene regarding Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso.
He said he would personally engage the President of Burkina Faso to resolve concerns over the confiscation of eggs and goods belonging to Ghanaian nationals and find a lasting solution.
On Thursday, the President said his tour would include the commissioning of the National Signals Bureau building and a visit to the Sunyani Airport site, where government had already secured land and would soon begin procurement for construction.
A visit to Sunyani Secondary School to assess GETFund work was also planned.
President Mahama closed with a broader pledge, saying every region would benefit from ongoing and future projects and that his goal before leaving office was to ensure Ghana’s road network ranked among the best in West Africa.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
