Members of the Ayensudo Watermelon Growers Association (AWGA) in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality are faced with the serious problem of marketing their produce.
To address the problem, chiefs in the area have offered the Municipal Assembly a land for the construction of a market to enable members to sell their produce to prevent the dangers of trading along the road which sometimes lead to fatal accidents.
Ms Victoria Arko, President of AWGA told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the association sought the support of the Business Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund to carry out evidence base advocacy education to mount pressure on the Municipal Assembly to feature the construction of a market for Ayensudo in their medium term development plan.
“It is the strong contention of the association that the absence of market infrastructure in Ayensudo is inconsistent with stipulation in the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462), which requires the Municipal Assembly to provide market structures for the local citizens to conduct business,” she emphasised.
She said the members fear that it would take years to have a market structure if they do not put pressure on the KEEA Municipal Assembly.
“The absence of a market does not make Ayensudo attractive to prospective buyers of farm produce as there is no central location to trade to ensure an improved business environment for the traders,” she said.
Mr Osman Mensah, BUSAC Consultant, said development of market holds one of the triggers to promote local economic development and improving market access to farming.
“Market serve as a point where sellers and buyers meet to transact businesses which lead to price discovery and has been identified as one of the key solutions to poverty reduction and economic growth,” he explained.
He said BUSAC advocacy action support to associations would compel the district assemblies to be alive to their responsibilities by formulating and executing development plans, programmes and strategies for the effective mobilisation of resources necessary for more development.
Source: GhanaWeb
