No school being demolished to construct 24-hr economy market at Mankranso - Ashanti Regional Minister

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has dismissed allegations that classroom blocks in Mankranso are being demolished to make way for the 24-hour economy market project.

​Speaking during a site inspection in the Ahafo Ano South-West District capital today, Dr Amoakohene, alongside local administrative and educational officials, confirmed that existing school structures will be preserved and redesigned to serve a dual educational and commercial purpose.

​The inspection followed claims by a New Patriotic Party (NPP) communicator alleging that the district assembly was demolishing the classrooms for market development.

​Dr Amoakohene explained that technical assessments led authorities to reject an alternative location due to swampy conditions that would require extensive drainage works.

​Addressing concerns about educational disruption, the Minister outlined plans to re-engineer the existing 12-classroom facility.

​"On the scheme of the assembly, it's either we remove the school from their previous place and bring them here so we can use that area as a market, or we redesign this as part of the 24-hour market so they can serve a dual purpose," Dr Amoakohene stated.

​He added that under the proposed redesign, part of the facility could host lower primary or kindergarten pupils, allowing trading mothers to keep their children nearby during market hours.

​"Traders were actually concerned that we were going to move the market from Mankranso, and we have assured Nananom and the traders that the market is not moving an inch," the Minister added, emphasising President Mahama’s policy of inclusive regional development.

​Supporting the Minister's position, Ing. Daniel Yeboah, Project Manager for Eco Planners and Engineering Consult Limited, the consulting firm for the regional 24-hour economy markets, clarified that no structural demolition would occur.

​"We, as consultants, don't have land, so we acquired it from the assembly," Ing. Yeboah stated, explaining, "we have designed it in such a way that all these blocks are to be maintained. We are not going to touch any blocks here, but we are going to redesign it so that it will fit into what we want.”

​Justin Kwasi Gbotor, the District Director of Education, noted that the 12-classroom facility, constructed around 2022, had remained unutilised due to safety and infrastructural challenges.

Children, he said, previously faced hazards crossing two major highways to reach the site, which also lacked running water, washroom facilities, and furniture.

​Mr Gbotor highlighted that maintaining the main student body at their current location while re-engineering the 12-classroom structure for specialised dual use offers a practical resolution.

​Abubakar Sedik, Ahafo Ano South-West District Chief Executive, also refuted the demolition allegations.

​"Just last week, we saw this NPP communication director going around claiming we are here to bring down these classroom blocks, which is not true," Mr Sedik said, highlighting that “the contractor is here, the consultant is here. We've not had any meeting to even bring down the classroom block, but rather we are going to rebuild it and redesign it into the 24-hour economy.”