Traders at the Odawna Peace Market in Accra have threatened to stage a demonstration over what they describe as an abandoned construction project that has severely disrupted business activities.

The traders say the $43 million project, initiated under former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah, was intended to transform the Odaw River into a modern facility to address persistent flooding and sanitation challenges.

However, they allege that the project was halted midway, leaving the area in a deteriorated state.

According to the traders, the situation worsened ahead of the last general elections when contractors returned to the site and excavated a large trench, which has since blocked key access routes to the market.

Vendors say the obstruction has reduced customer access, leading to declining sales, spoilage of goods, and mounting financial losses.

“We are really suffering because of this project.

Customers are avoiding the market because they have to go through longer routes,” one trader said.

The traders are calling on President John Dramani Mahama and relevant state agencies to urgently intervene and complete the project or restore access to the market.

Market leaders warn that failure to address the situation could force them to take further action, including staging a demonstration in the coming days.

An executive of the market, Elizabeth Shasha Okley, reiterated the concerns, stressing that livelihoods are at risk if the situation persists.

 

The Odawna area remains a critical commercial hub in the capital, with traders insisting that resolving the issue is essential to sustaining economic activity and improving living conditions in the area.