THE MUNICIPAL Chief Executive (MCE) for Ayawaso Central, Hon Rudolph Collingwoode-Williams (Affectionately called Ayawaso Central General) has outlined a comprehensive plan to remodel the Mallam Atta Market (Malata) into a modern 24-hour trading hub.
According to the MCE in an interview with Nationatymes.com, the initiative focuses on improving drainage, sanitation, traffic flow, and revenue collection. “We are looking at Malata as a key market to drive our 24-hour economy agenda. It is spacious and well-located, and we want to make it attractive for both traders and shoppers,” said the MCE.
As part of the efforts, the Assembly is engaging traders to maintain hygiene and orderliness. The recent national cleanup exercise focused heavily on Malata due to persistent littering. “We advise traders on proper garbage packaging to make collection easier,” the MCE noted.
He revealed that two stakeholder engagements have already taken place, with a third one planned. He indicated that the Assembly is committed to reviving the market while boosting revenue generation through structured parking and organized trading zones.
Traffic and access are also key concerns. “We’ve begun marking the streets, introducing on-street parking, and planning white lines to guide where traders can operate without obstructing roads,” he stressed. The goal is to prevent customers from abandoning local markets for malls due to lack of parking and convenience.
In a related development, Hon. Collingwoode-Williams has described sanitation as a national crisis that must be tackled head-on through public education and collective effort. Speaking with this portal, he underscored that poor sanitation is not limited to his municipality alone but affects many parts of the country.
“Sanitation is a serious fight—it’s not something you talk about and go to sleep,” he said. “Everywhere you go; street corners, ghettos, markets, there are sanitation issues. And if we don’t take it seriously, it affects our health and the beauty of our environment.”
He explained that lasting solutions require constant public education. “People need to understand why they shouldn’t litter. It’s not only about expecting Zoomlion or other contractors to clean up. If you litter right after a cleanup, then what’s the point?”
According to him, he has made it a personal responsibility to intervene whenever he sees refuse on the streets. “Sometimes I call the Environmental Health team myself to come and clear the waste,” he said.
He said that the government, under President John Dramani Mahama, has empowered MMDAs to take control of sanitation within their jurisdictions. “We’ve been given the mandate and funding to plan our own strategies and not just rely on external contractors. We are not joking with this responsibility.”
The Hon. MCE, Rudolph Collingwoode-Williams concluded by noting that his office is working to engage all stakeholders, including sanitation service providers, to develop effective systems to keep Ayawaso Central clean.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
