Some traders operating at the temporary Takoradi Market Circle site are demanding urgent intervention over delays in the completion of the Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment project, five years after they were relocated.

In a press release issued by the “Concerned Traders of Takoradi Central Market,” the traders described their current situation as “harrowing,” saying the prolonged delay has caused severe financial and emotional distress

According to the traders, they were relocated from the old market to the temporary site at the Ghapoha Junior Club House area after the previous NPP government announced that the original structure was weak and needed redevelopment.

The traders said they were assured the project would be completed within two years, but five years on, the market remains incomplete. 

They further alleged that many traders spent between GH¢400 and GH¢1,000 to secure structures at the temporary site, while others invested additional funds to construct their own stores. 

The group also raised concerns about the quality and safety of the new structure, claiming they had gathered information suggesting parts of the facility were being coated with anti-rust materials because of its proximity to the sea.

According to them, the salty nature of goods sold in the market, particularly salt and salted fish, could worsen the situation and pose future risks to the structure. 

They are therefore appealing to President John Dramani Mahama, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson and the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kobina Okyere Darko-Mensah, to provide a clear timeline for the completion of the project.

The traders say the delay has taken a heavy toll on many affected persons, claiming some traders have died while others have become bedridden due to the economic hardship associated with the relocation. 

The Takoradi Market Circle redevelopment project, which commenced in April 2020, was expected to transform one of the oldest commercial hubs in the Western Region into a modern trading centre.

The €48 million project includes the construction of more than 2,400 stores, restaurants, bulk-breaking areas, offices, a police and fire station, clinic, daycare centre and parking facilities. 

Government officials have recently reiterated their commitment to completing the project after work stalled for years due to financial challenges and debt restructuring.

During an inspection tour in November 2025, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson assured traders that the project had been captured as a priority by government and that the contractor was expected to return to site once the debt restructuring process was concluded. 

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, also disclosed earlier this month that the project was about 81.62 percent complete before work was suspended.