Takoradi Market Circle

Last updated
Fresh coconuts in Takoradi Market Circle. Fresh coconuts in Takoradi Market Circle, Ghana.jpg
Fresh coconuts in Takoradi Market Circle.

The Takoradi Market Circle is a market in Takoradi, the third largest city of Ghana. Takoradi Market Circle is the commercial and economic hub of Ghana's Western Region. The market got its name due to the large circle in which it is situated; the stores of the market were built to form the shape. A renovation project started in September 2020 by Nana Akufo Addo and his government, of which sod was being cut by the Vice-president Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. [1]

Contents

History

The market was planned and built by city engineers to form the nucleus of trading for the new Takoradi city. The city became bustling after the building of the Takoradi Harbour, which served as a major export centre because of high export activity, many people migrated to the city for employment and this increase warranted the setting up the market. It was to be built at a site that was to be easily accessible.

Accessibility

The market's site makes it probably the most accessible point in the whole of the Takoradi metropolis. Major road lead to it. The John Mensah Sarbah road [2] links the market from the South West and from the North East. The Liberation road linking it from the South East through the market to the North West. Other roads that access the market are the Ashanti Road and the Ahanata road.

Major activities

All kinds of economic activities go on in and around the market. They include:

Most of the major banks in the country have branches around the market area. They include:

Hawkers

Many people who do not have stalls in the market rather prefer to sell their goods through hawking. These hawkers take over all the pedestrian walkways, parking spaces and built wooden sheds and warehouses, making the market circle untidy, dirty and congested. This is generally prohibited as it makes the regulation of market activities difficult as well as increase vehicular and human traffic. At occasions when the City guards, who serve as market law enforcement officials relax in the duty due to several reasons, these hawkers take to the streets and spaces around to market. [3] Evicting these people once they have started their illegal activities becomes expensive and time-consuming. [4] Eviction exercises make pedestrian movement easier, faster and convenient.

Market expansion

The market became congested in the late 1980s. The problem became worse in the early 1990s when the city authorities could no longer allocate space for individuals who had requested for stores, stalls etc. As such a new market was planned and built at Apremodo. [5] Apremodo is a suburb of Takoradi and about 10 kilometres from the Market Circle.

Sanitation

A major problem of the market is that of filth. Due to the size of the market as well as the number of people who use it daily, there is always need to keep the market clean. In February 2011, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitant Assembly (STMA), the government agency that has among its responsibilities market sanitation, engaged Zoomlion, a waste management company to keep the market clean. [6]

Fires at the Market

Like many big markets in Ghana, fires cause the most destruction to markets. The market has had a lot of fire outbreaks with most destroying properties running in several hundreds of thousands of Cedis. The most recent one was on 16 March 2007 [7] when properties worth millions of cedis were lost when fire swept through portions of the market. It burnt quantities of goods to ashes. The fire started around 1830 hours, was finally brought under control around 2300 hours. No casualties were recorded. After starting at one point, the fire quickly spread to other parts of the market destroying cooking oil, palm oil, cooking utensils, rubber products, foodstuffs and cloths, fowls, animals, shoes, bags and cereals, among others. In situations like this it take the intervention of fire personnel situated close to the market to bring the fires down. [8]

Related Research Articles

The economy of Ghana has a diverse and rich resource base, including the manufacturing and export of digital technology goods, automotive and ship construction and export, and the export of resources such as hydrocarbons and industrial minerals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Ghana</span>

Transport in Ghana is accomplished by road, rail, air and water. Ghana's transportation and communications networks are centered in the southern regions, especially the areas in which gold, cocoa, and timber are produced. The northern and central areas are connected through a major road system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaian cedi</span> Currency of Ghana

The cedi is the unit of currency of Ghana. It is the fourth historical and only current legal tender in the Republic of Ghana. One Cedi is divided into one hundred Pesewas (Gp).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sekondi-Takoradi</span> City in Western Region, Ghana

Sekondi-Takoradi is a city in Ghana comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan District and the Western Region of Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi is the region's largest city as well as an industrial and commercial center with a population of 245,382 people, according to the 2021 census. Since 2021 the mayor of the city and the metropolitan area has been Abdul-Mumin Issah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghana Stock Exchange</span> Stock exchange in Ghana

The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) is the principal stock exchange of Ghana. The exchange was incorporated in July 1989 with trading commencing in 1990. It currently lists 42 equities and 2 corporate bonds. All types of securities can be listed. Criteria for listing include capital adequacy, profitability, spread of shares, years of existence and management efficiency. The GSE is located within the Cedi House in Accra.

Articles related to Ghana include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghana Navy</span> Naval warfare branch of Ghanaian armed forces

The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The Ghanaian Navy, along with the Ghanaian Army (GA) and Ghanaian Air Force (GHF), make up the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF) which are controlled by the Ghanaian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sungei Road</span> Subzone of Rochor Planning Area in Singapore

Sungei Road is a road in Singapore situated between Serangoon Road and Jalan Besar and runs along the Rochor Canal. The area around Sungei Road formerly housed affluent Europeans and Asians, and many ornately designed buildings were built there. Since the 1930s, the road has been synonymous with Sungei Road laksa and the Thieves' Market, the largest and oldest flea market in Singapore, where locals can shop for old bric-a-brac or second-hand goods. The market was permanently closed on 10 July 2017 for "future residential development use".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaian passport</span> Passport of the Republic of Ghana issued to Ghanaian citizens

Ghanaian passports are issued exclusively by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to Ghanaians granted citizenship in accordance with the Ghanaian nationality law. There are three types of passport booklets – contemporary (regular), service, and diplomatic passports. Ghanaian passport booklets are valid for travel by Ghanaians anywhere in the world, although the holder may need to obtain a visa from the destination country when travelling for some purposes. More than one valid Ghanaian passport of the same type may not be held.

Pokuase, also spelled Pokoasi, is a suburb of Accra, the capital city of Ghana and spans the area from Pokuase, leading off the Accra-Kumasi motorway on the right coming from Accra central; and leading off the motorway at Pokuase Junction and rising to ‘Okai Kwei Hill’, on the left coming from town. It is a mixture of lively retail shopping areas, with local stores, bars or 'drinking spots', bus/taxi stations, and a market. It also has many hotels, guest houses and rental apartments- such as the eco-chic Legassi Gardens Apartments-, and 'high-end' developing residential estates, such as Ofankor Hills Estates and Franko Estates, amongst many others; as well as the long-established executive gated community of ACP Estates.; and HFS Estates which borders the erstwhile Gua Koo Sacred Grove in Pokuase.

Amalgamated Holdings and Securities Limited, commonly known as AmalSec & Securities Subsidiaries, is a commercial financial and securities outfit in Ghana.

uniBank Ghanaian bank

uniBank (Ghana) Limited, commonly known as uniBank, was an indigenous private bank in Ghana, West Africa. The bank was placed in administration in March 2018 and subsequently consolidated as part of the Ghana Government's handling of its banking crisis. The collapse was controversial as it involved allegations of trading insolvently, and 5 billion cedis in illegal and related party transactions, unlawful loans and illegal acquisition of bank assets by Directors and shareholders. Founded by a former governor of the Bank of Ghana, uniBank was one of the thirty-five commercial banks licensed to operate in Ghana.

Kotokoraba Market, or Kotokuraba Market, is the largest market in Cape Coast, capital of the Central Region of Ghana, which is the tourism hub of Ghana. Cape Coast is known for many reasons, including for its UN World Heritage Site – Cape Coast Castle – and its senior high schools, and is also popular because of its market. Kotokoraba Market is the economic hub of the region, with all major trading stores located around it. Part of the market has a big transport yard from where various buses and cars transport traders and their wares, as well as individuals, to different parts of the country.

Kantamanto Market is a market area situated in the central business district of Accra, in Ghana. The market consists mostly of the typical Akan tribes of Kwahu's and Ashanti's. It is a well known market in Accra with a specialization in clothing resale. The site is an important part of the informal economy of the city. At its peak it was the largest used clothes market in West Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markets in Ghana</span>

Markets are essential to the Economy of Ghana

Bank of Africa Ghana Limited, also referred to as BOA Ghana, is a commercial bank in Ghana. It is one of the commercial banks licensed by Bank of Ghana, the central bank of Ghana, and the national banking regulator. the bank has 33 branches in 2015.

Ghanaian Indians are Ghanaians citizens of Indian origin or descent. Many Ghanaian Indians are descendants from those who migrated from India following India's partition in 1947.

Joshua Kwabena Siaw, popularly known as J. K. Siaw, was a Ghanaian industrialist and philanthropist, who in 1969 established Tata Brewery Ltd. – now known as Guinness Ghana Breweries, also as Achimota Brewery Company (ABC). He is notable for opening the largest wholly African-owned brewery company in West Africa in 1973. In 1979 all his assets were confiscated by the AFRC regime of Ghana under false allegations of tax evasion. He died in London, in exile, in October 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border Guard Unit</span> Border security branch of Ghanas military

The Border Guard Unit is a national security and paramilitary unit of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). Established in October 1964, BGU's primary role is to guard Ghana's international borders during peacetime and prevent trans-border crime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saphan Lek</span> Bridge in Bangkok, Thailand

Saphan Lek is the name of a bridge and a now-extinct makeshift market near the bridge in Bangkok. Now officially known as Damrong Sathit Bridge, the bridge was originally built to carry the Charoen Krung Road across Khlong Ong Ang during 1862–1864. It had a steel structure supporting a wooden floor, with an opening mechanism that allowed boats to pass. The bridge was rebuilt in 1900 under the supervision of Carlo Allegri, and named Damrong Sathit in honour of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab. It was yet again rebuilt with reinforced concrete in the reign of King Prajadhipok, and is now a recognised ancient monument.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Two-major-projects-in-Takoradi-stall-for-months-1924508
  2. ↑ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  3. ↑ "TheGhanaianJournal.com". www.theghanaianjournal.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  4. ↑ "SAEMA evicts illegal traders from Takoradi Market Circle". ModernGhana.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  5. ↑ "SAEMA evicts illegal traders from Takoradi Market Circle". ModernGhana.com. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  6. ↑ "Guitarra e Teclado em Ghanaian Chronicle | redação, perda de barriga, música com guitarra e teclado importados nas crônicas de Gana". ghanaian-chronicle.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  7. ↑ http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/200703/2571.asp [ dead link ]
  8. ↑ "Fire destroys stores at Takoradi Market circle". Net 2 Television. 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2021-10-02.

4°53′53″N1°45′36″W / 4.898°N 1.760°W / 4.898; -1.760

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.