National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has commended the Citi FM Foundation for its intervention in constructing a modern market for residents of New Bakpa in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, August 28, he termed the project a significant addition to the infrastructure of local administration, urging the Central Tongu District Assembly to complement the initiative by providing additional facilities such as slabs and improved access routes to enhance hygiene and movement within the market.
“Looking at the structure, Citi has done its part. What is needed now is for the Assembly to add to what Citi has started by providing the slabs for trading so that it will look more hygienic. I would also like to see sieves installed at the back to prevent flies from entering. It is a good initiative, and I believe Citi should do more,” he said.
He stressed that beyond infrastructure, improving accessibility in and around the market is critical to allow traders and buyers to move freely and to make service delivery easier for the local administration.
The new market facility has been warmly received by residents of New Bakpa and nearby communities, who say it has eased the burden of travelling long distances to sell their farm produce. Farmers believe the market will help reduce post-harvest losses and improve household incomes.
Traders who have already occupied the stalls describe the project as a “game-changer” but appeal for further expansion to accommodate the increasing number of users.
The initiative also comes as relief to residents who are still struggling to rebuild their livelihoods after being displaced by the Akosombo Dam spillage. Many say the market will provide a stable source of income to aid their recovery.
The facility, funded through donations from Citi FM listeners and Channel One TV viewers, was completed for GH₵1.3 million. It forms part of a broader set of interventions by the Citi FM Foundation to support recovery efforts in the Volta Region following the 2023 Akosombo spillage disaster.
