On the month of January 27th, 2023, at noon Atiwa East District Assembly led by the DCE, Honourable Kwabena Panin Nkansah engages traders at Anyinam market center. The purpose of the engagement was market demarcation, market toll increment, and other relational matters arises from the market center.
The DCE, Honourable Kwabena Panin Nkansah, in his presentation gave thanks to the traders for receiving the district and giving them the very intention, they need for the event. He spelled out clearly to the traders the needs for increment of market toll, and taxes. Reasons for market toll increment said by the DCE was that, the district assembly is regulated by law and as such government institution must follow the law to the lather. The market toll increment decision based on the law will not be altered. To the DCE speech, highlighted on the ground rent of the market center allocated to each trader for commercial purposes as original intended. Reasons supporting this statement was referencing the traders from the very time the market was released to them in the year 2019, through Covid-19 pandemic period in the year 2020 to the year 2022, no ground rent payment was issued to the district assembly. The assembly was forced not to undertake such activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation and it negative impart to the country’s economy until all conditions are right again. The DCE again briefly highlighted taxation on the usage of electricity, pipelines and others and edged the traders to seek for an official receipt after payment of taxes. However, the DCE sounded very clear to the traders of an open forum and edged them to come forth boldly and freely speak out the issues relating to the market center, deliberate on them and see how best possible to solve those issues.
The Finance Department under the district assembly in their presentation pinpoint the need of re-demarcating the market, registration exercise pertaining to the demarcation of the market, and finances pertaining to the ground rent and market toll. Reasons for the re-demarcation of market said by the Finance department was that, several complains have been lodged to the district assembly about truly rightful designated person to the market portion allocated, proofed with document provided by the assembly. Traders operating in containers have been found to extend their original designated portions to the open-space of the market. Others traders allocated to them in the open-space have also extend their portions covering more grounds thereby making the remaining designated portion for customers very narrow, and restricting free movement. In addition to this stated by the Finance department, it has come to the notice of the assembly of traders giving their portions allocated to them to rent to other traders for which is against the law. Pertaining to the registration exercise, market toll, and ground rent increment made it clear to the traders to come along with their passport picture and other documents issued to them by the assembly. Market toll will be increase from GHc 1 to GHc 2. Below is a table illustrating the new prices of ground rent:
| Type of Ground Rent | Price per month (GHc) | Price per annum (GHc) |
| Container | 20.00 | 240.00 |
| Shade | 15.00 | 180.00 |
| Open Space | 4.20p | 50.00 |
Finally, the finance department edged the traders selling along the road side to desist from such from such act.
OPEN FORUM
The traders at the market center were giving the opportunity to bring forth their issues during the event which are highlighted below:
- Market toll should be maintained as GHc 1.
- Increment of ground rent should start from 2024.
- Payment of market toll in addition to ground rent is too much and plead with the assembly to reduce the price increment.
- Vehicles trooping into the market premises, making the roads allocated for customers to move freely so small.
- Water taps in the market not in service anymore.
Solutions allocated to these issues stated above from the event are as follows:
- Market toll shall be increase to GHc 2 and not subjected to any review.
- Increment of ground rent will take effectively from the 2023 and not 2024.
- The payment of both the market toll and ground rent is lawful.
- Policy have been made to prevent trooping of vehicles in the market and will be enforced.
- Cost estimation will be made by the engineers from the district to fix the water taps.