Kasseh Market executives stop sale of food near toilet facility
Market executives at the Kasseh Market in the Ada East District have announced plans to collaborate with the Ada East District Assembly Taskforce to remove traders selling foodstuffs around the market's public toilet facility.
The move, according to the executives, was aimed at promoting food safety and protecting public health by preventing possible contamination of food products.
Madam Ernestina Nartey, Ada Market Queen, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after concerns were raised about the growing number of traders selling food close to the toilet facility.
Madam Nartey said market leaders had on several occasions engaged traders operating in the area and advised them to relocate to designated trading spaces, but some continued to disregard the directives.
“The rainy season makes the situation even more dangerous because waste and contaminated water can easily spread around the area and affect food items being sold,” she said.
Madam Nartey noted that despite continuous education and warnings, some traders had persisted in selling around the facility, exposing consumers to potential health risks.
She explained that many of the traders involved were not members of any recognised market association and often came from outside the district, making the enforcement of market regulations difficult.
“They do not belong to any association, and that makes it difficult to control them. “They know there are market leaders, but they do what they want, and we don’t like it,” she said.
The market queen disclosed that executives had resolved to seek the assistance of the District Assembly Taskforce to enforce compliance and prevent further trading around the toilet facility.
According to her, alternative trading spaces had been allocated to affected traders, but some claimed sales were low in those areas and therefore preferred to remain near the facility.
She stressed that economic considerations should not override public health concerns and called on traders to cooperate with authorities for the safety of all market users.
Some traders who spoke with the GNA also expressed concerns about the state of the market and blamed authorities for delays in the renovation of the facility.
They alleged that several sod-cutting ceremonies had been held over the years for the redevelopment of the market, but little progress had been made.
The traders further argued that the market lacked the proper layout and organisation expected of a modern trading centre, and they appealed to the district assembly to expedite plans for its redevelopment.
Food safety experts have consistently warned against the sale of food near sanitary facilities, citing the risk of contamination and the spread of communicable diseases.
GNA