The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) says it will soon hold a meeting to take a decision on the modernization of the Kumasi Central Market project. It says that the project which was expected to have started before the end of the year has been delayed by the contractor who is yet to move to the site. Speaking on behalf of the mayor, the Public Relations Officer of the KMA, Clement Kegari, said that the project was given out on contract to Mr Asafo Adjei "who, by the terms of agreement, should be on site by now". Commenting on the assembly's proposed plan to turn the market into a complex befitting the status of the metropolis, Mr Kegari said that the plan was still on course. He said the assembly would this week meet to take a decision on the issue, which would include the abrogation of the contract with Mr Adjei. He said the project was expected to be carried out in phases in order not to seriously affect business activities at the market and the stores allocated as and when they are completed. According to him, the master plan of the new market included educational, recreational and health facilities as well as a police station and a lorry park. Mr Kegari noted that last Saturday's fire outbreak at the market only "re-emphasises the urgent need for the project to take off. He said although the assembly received a lot of assurance from the contractor that he was going to start work in October, "he could not live up to expectation". "We have been concerned about the need of such a modem market complex before the fire incident," he stated. Source: Ghanaian Times