Adenta Market Opens

Hannah Teeth, Minister of Trade cutting the tap to open the Adenta Shopping Centre with support from Nubyl Kakra Van Lare and Rose Margaret Kpodo

The Makola Marketing Company Property Management Limited yesterday inaugurated a model shopping centre at Adenta to serve residents in the area and its environs.

The Adenta Shopping Centre located at the Adenta Estates was conceived by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), with construction starting in August 2000.

Seven years later the project was completed and handed over to the Makola Marketing Company, a subsidiary of SSNIT.

In a remark to welcome a gathering of market women, shop owners and members of the community, Rose Margaret Kpodo, Managing Director of the Makola Marketing Company stated that the mall has 500 facilities.

The facilitates include lockable shops, warehouses and shops for table top businesses

Apart from the shops, there are special facilities such as clinic, police station, fire station, space for banks and insurance companies as well as offices, restaurants, bakery and cold store, among others.

There is also space for commercial vehicles, children's playing ground and purpose built farmers' market for bulk breaking of fresh farm products.

She was of the view that the shopping centre would not only meet the needs of patrons but serve as an income generation avenue.

'It is our philosophy to help people create wealth and we are doing just that,' said Mrs Kpodo.

To the users of the shopping centre, she advised them to ensure its sustainable development by adhering to maintenance culture.

She also urged the tenants to pay their rents and other fees promptly to improve the fortunes of the company.

Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Trade and Industry, who represented the President John Mills, said the traditional markets have proved to be risky places to do business as a result of the lack of security and certain amenities and expressed the hope that the Adenta Market would serve as a model community shopping centre, which would be replicated in some parts of the country.

'There is a growing middle class who pay more attention to the environment where goods are sold and the ministry would promote development of more of such markets.'

Though the shop has been opened to the public since 2008, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Adenta Municipal Assembly, Nubyl Kakra Van Lare, was not happy that less than 50 per cent of the space has so far been occupied.

'Only 50 per cent of the shops are occupied while traders continue to do business by the roadside and other unauthorized places.'

She promised to make the shopping centre attractive to residents of Adenta and beyond.

Makola Market Company property management was incorporated in 1994 to manage shops, offices and other ancillary facilities at the Makola area in the central business district.

The company constructed the Mokola Shopping Mall and the new Makola number 2 at Agbogbloshie in 1996.

 By Emelia Ennin Abbey