Goaso Market Woes: Traders Plead for Urgent Fixes Amid Health and Business Struggles
Market women at the Goaso weekly market in Ghana’s Ahafo Region have voiced urgent concerns over deteriorating conditions that are jeopardizing their health and livelihoods.
During a visit by the Ahafo Regional Minister on Friday, September 12, traders highlighted inadequate urinals, substandard toilet facilities, dusty unpaved roads, and rampant theft from locked stalls due to poor security.
Nana Akosua Asantewaa, the garden egg queen mother, and Susanna Adjei, the yam queen mother, led the complaints, emphasizing how the issues drive away customers and expose sellers to diseases from dust and unsanitary conditions.
“These challenges make life very difficult for us. Our health is at risk, and business is suffering. We plead with the minister and municipal assembly to act urgently,” they stated.
The market, a vital hub in Asunafo North Municipality serving local farmers and traders in the cocoa-rich area, has long struggled with infrastructure deficits.
Goaso, the regional capital with a population of about 21,000, relies on such markets for economic activity, but ongoing issues like unpaved paths exacerbate dust pollution, especially during the dry season.
In response, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Joseph Akparibo assured the women that Goaso market has been selected for the government’s 24-Hour Economy Market project, with construction slated to begin soon.
“All your raised issues will be resolved under this project. We ask for your patience as preparations advance,” Akparibo said.
The initiative, part of President Mahama’s economic agenda, aims to modernize markets nationwide for extended operations, improved sanitation, and better security. Similar projects in Asutifi South have been urged by local officials to support traders.
