The Berekum Thursday Market
An Evangelist, Osei Amankwaa, popularly known as Agyapa Osei, has been exposed for allegedly trying to cause disaffection for the MCE of Berekum, Kofi Adjei.
Evangelist Amankwaa had gone on radio to castigate the MCE, accusing him of selling the Berekum Thursday Market to a crony, and went on to call on the President not to appoint him again.
This accusation did not go well with Joseph Baffour Awuah, the Presiding Member of the Berekum Municipal Assembly, who happened to play a pivotal role in the affairs of the market long before Mr. Adjei became the MCE.
At a press conference held at the forecourt of the newly constructed Berekum Thursday Market, Mr. Baffour Awuah, who also doubles as the Assembly member for Twedie Abontene Electoral Area, took time to set records straight.
He said the place where the market is located used to be called Rawlings Market during the PNDC era, and according to him, no structure was erected there until the Municipal Assembly headed by the current MCE decided to build a befitting market at the place.
He said because the assembly did not have money to execute the project, they advertised for any contractor who desired to build the market on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) terms.
He said three contractors put in bids for the project and it was finally awarded to one of them.
The modern market, which includes Fire Service offices, Police Station, guest house and washrooms, has since been completed and allocated to market women who used to trade at the open spaces.
The PRO of Berekum Municipal Assembly, Stephen Asamoah, also said the reason why the evangelist, who he said is a known NDC supporter is attacking the MCE, was that the MCE has refused to accede to his alleged financial demands.
FROM Eric Bawah, Berekum