The Minority members on Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee have called on the government to consider redirecting funds allocated for the construction of 24-Hour Markets to complete stalled Agenda 111 hospital projects in areas where new markets may not be necessary.

The Ranking Member on the Committee and MP for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, said some districts already have existing markets that are not being fully utilised, making the construction of additional market facilities a questionable use of limited public resources.

Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Accra, the former Minister for Works and Housing argued that development priorities should be guided by actual community needs, particularly when critical health infrastructure remains unfinished.

“As District Assembly officials and political actors, you are supposed to build 24-Hour Markets but I have realised that in many districts, they do not really need the 24-Hour Markets because there are existing markets already which are underutilised,” he stated.

Mr Asenso-Boakye said the government should explore using such funds to address urgent gaps in the health sector, including the completion of Agenda 111 hospitals initiated under the previous administration.

“I was asking the Health Minister whether he will make a case that in situations where you don’t need these 24-Hour Markets, can we invest the money in other areas which will certainly include the provision of healthcare infrastructure like the Agenda 111,” he added.

He stressed that while improving local economies through market infrastructure is important, investments must be aligned with the immediate needs of communities to ensure value for money and better public service delivery.