The Volta Region could be on the verge of one of its biggest economic transformations in decades, as H.E President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the Juapong 24-Hour Economy Model Market
During the first stop of his Resetting Ghana tour in Juapong, at a facility expected to become one of the flagship projects under the 24-Hour Economy programme, the President expressed optimism about the prospects of the new market.
Classified as a Category Four market—the highest tier within the initiative—the market is being designed to support business activity long after traditional trading hours.
Plans show the facility will house 100 lockable stores, 150 sheds and stalls, and 10 warehouses aimed at reducing post-harvest losses for farmers and traders. It will also include a police post, fire station, clinic and daycare centre, making it a fully integrated commercial hub rather than simply a place to buy and sell.
One of the most significant additions is a branch of the Women’s Development Bank, which the government believes will improve access to credit for women-owned businesses and small-scale traders.
The redevelopment, however, has come with significant challenges for many traders who relied on the old Juapong Market as their main source of income.
For years, the market served as a central trading point where customers from surrounding communities came to buy food, clothing and household goods. Its demolition disrupted that established commercial ecosystem, forcing traders to adjust to new arrangements while waiting for the new facility to be completed.
For some traders, the biggest challenge has been the uncertainty surrounding their businesses. Temporary trading spaces often come with reduced customer traffic, limited facilities and fewer opportunities to display goods compared to the old market environment. For small-scale traders who depend on daily sales, even short disruptions can affect household income and the ability to restock goods.
The situation has highlighted the delicate balance between modernising public infrastructure and protecting the livelihoods of the people who depend on those spaces. As Juapong prepares for a new commercial future, traders are hoping the new market will not only provide better facilities but also restore the economic opportunities they lost during the transition
To ease concerns over redevelopment, authorities have also assured traders affected by the demolition of the old market that they will receive priority when new stalls are allocated.
