Government is preparing to begin pricing discussions for Phase Three of the Kejetia Market Redevelopment Project as efforts intensify to return contractors to site and complete the stalled Phase Two.
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Mahama Ayariga said discussions on the next phase would commence once work resumes on Phase Two, which has remained largely stalled for nearly two years.
Phase Two is currently about 60 per cent complete.
Mr Ayariga said government has secured approval from Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to use proceeds from Phases One and Two to facilitate the return of contractors and begin preparations for Phase Three.
“We want to inform the people of Kumasi and the Ashanti Region that the contractor will be returning back to site to complete Phase Two,” he said.
According to the Minister, contractors could return to site within days or weeks, bringing an end to the prolonged construction halt.
Phase Three discussions to begin
While the immediate priority is to complete Phase Two, attention is already turning to the cost and financing of Phase Three.
Mr Ayariga said government would begin discussions on the pricing of the next phase once construction resumes.
“We have been given the go-ahead by the Finance Minister to use the proceeds from both projects to start Phase 3,” he said.
He added that government would continue consultations with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and the Asantehene as it works to determine the scope and financial requirements of the next phase.
The discussions are expected to provide greater clarity on the cost of Phase Three and how government intends to finance and implement the project.
Phase Two remains priority
For now, however, government’s immediate focus remains on completing Phase Two, which has been stuck at approximately 60 per cent for almost two years.
The latest financial approval is expected to facilitate the return of contractors and restart construction activities at the project site.
For traders, businesses and residents around Kejetia, the resumption of work could bring renewed construction activity to a project that has remained largely dormant for an extended period.
Once Phase Two is back on track, attention is expected to shift increasingly towards Phase Three, its scope, financing arrangements and, ultimately, how much the next stage of the Kejetia redevelopment will cost.
