Feud over Ho Central Market is cause of revenue shortfall - Ho MCE

The Ho Municipal Chief Executive is calling on the two factions in the Ho Central Market feud to settle their differences amicably for the inauguration of the market.

Prosper Kofi Pi-Bansah said the continuous closure of the market is taking a serious toll on revenue targets making it difficult for the assembly to undertake projects with its meagre Internally Generated Fund (IGF).

Mr Pi-Bansah who took office barely four months ago laments that shortfalls in the revenue generation are due to the Assembly’s inability to track and mobilize revenue from market women.

In an interview with JoyBusiness, the MCE said “a section of the shop owners took the Assembly to court. For almost three years, the assembly is losing revenue heavily.”

He added that the assembly as of November, the assembly has managed to clock eighty per cent revenue target but he wished the market was operational to boost revenue.

Mr Prosper Pi-Bansah appealed to the two major stakeholders to settle their difference and to embrace smiles for the course of all.

“The traditional rulers came in and withdrew the case for a committee to handle so the case is with them now. We only pray that the two parties come together and I know they’re feeling the impact of the closure. Some of the market women have gone to open the stalls to deposit their wares there but we went to eject them and closed it until the case is settled”.

The market Queen Mother and leader of the Market Women Association, Patience Dorfenyo said the situation is disturbing the traders. “The closure of the market remains a worry to us. We have to be at the mercy of the weather anytime it rains. The Stall Owners Association can’t be the only beneficiaries of the space”.

She added her voice to the call for the issue to be settled amicably in the interest of the municipality.

The new market houses a police station, a banking hall, a clinic and over 200 stalls.