President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Model Market at Juapong in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, describing the project as a major milestone in the government's efforts to create jobs, stimulate local economies and promote inclusive development.

The sod-cutting ceremony formed part of the President's "Resetting Ghana" tour of the Volta Region.

Addressing the gathering, President Mahama said the facility would be far more than a traditional marketplace, explaining that it is being designed as a modern enterprise hub to support farmers, traders and businesses.

He said the government is making significant investments across the Volta Region in healthcare, education, roads, transport, markets, agriculture and agro-processing to improve living standards and expand employment opportunities.

According to the President, Juapong is strategically positioned to become a major commercial and industrial hub because of its location along the Volta River and its strong agricultural base.

"The market we are beginning today has been conceived as far more than a place for buying and selling," he said.

"It is being developed as a modern enterprise hub that will support aggregation, storage, processing, packaging, financial services, digital commerce, and efficient distribution."

President Mahama explained that the market would help reduce post-harvest losses by providing farmers with access to organised markets while creating a safer, more efficient trading environment for businesses.

He announced that the Juapong facility would be one of the largest markets to be developed under the government's flagship 24-Hour Economy programme.

Although Juapong is not a metropolitan area, he revealed that it has been approved for a Category Four market—the highest classification under the programme, which is typically reserved for metropolitan assemblies.

"I'm happy to announce that Juapong, even though not a Metropolitan Assembly, is getting a Category Four market," he said.

The model market will comprise 100 lockable shops, 150 market sheds, 10 warehouses, a police post, a fire station, a health clinic, a pharmacy, a branch of the Women's Development Bank, a daycare centre, a supermarket, a modern restaurant, 10 food courts, six guest rooms and a livestock section.

It will also feature washrooms, shower facilities, waste management systems and office accommodation for market administration.

President Mahama said the project forms part of a nationwide initiative to construct model markets across all 261 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.

"In the Volta Region, all 18 districts will benefit from this initiative, and today's sod-cutting in Juapong marks the beginning of that regional rollout," he stated.

He noted that the network of model markets would strengthen local value chains, facilitate inter-regional trade and support the successful implementation of the government's 24-Hour Economy policy.

According to the President, the policy is designed to remove structural barriers that limit business growth by improving infrastructure, logistics, agro-processing and access to markets.

"The success of this policy will not be measured by the number of hours people work. It will be measured by the number of businesses that expand, the number of young people who secure meaningful employment, the number of farmers who earn better incomes, and the number of Ghanaian products that successfully compete within regional and international markets," he said.