By Michael Kofi Kenetey
Residents of Klo-Agogo in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region have climaxed the third edition of their homecoming festival with an appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to help upgrade the Klo-Agogo Market to a modern-day market centre.
They also appealed for the rehabilitation of the road leading to the market from Sikabeng Junction through Obawale to the Klo-Agogo Market as well as other adjoining roads leading to the market centre. This is to help make carting of farm produce to and from the market easy to promote economic activities of the area.
The third edition of the Klo-Agogo Homecoming Festival was on the theme “Developing Klo-Agogo beyond Politics”, served as a joyful return of all sons and daughters worldwide to reconnect and reaffirm their identity as members of one community.
It also offered them the opportunity to foster unity and also highlight the challenges confronting Klo-Agogo and how to bring people on board with the support of the government to develop the area. This year’s celebration was aimed at raising funds to build bungalows for police officers who will be posted to the area when the police station, which is under construction, is completed.
Other activities were float, clean-up exercise, fashion show, street jams, football competition, and indoor games, among others. In an interview with GBC News, the Assembly Member of the Klo-Agogo Electoral Area, Harold Kofi Kumah, said the Klo-Agogo Market is the biggest market with the largest landmark size in the Yilo Krobo Municipality and one of the well-patronized market centres in the country, as several people in and outside the country come every Tuesday and Friday to do business.
He stated that all kinds of foodstuffs are brought to the market in large quantities to help meet demand of the urban areas and also help generate revenue for the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly. He however, lamented how deplorable the market has become, with the roads leading to the market centre in terrible condition. This he noted makes transportation to and from the market difficult, which is affecting economic activities in the area.
One of the organizers of the homecoming, Isaac Osuagbo, highlighted some challenges that are pertinent to the people of Klo-Agogo that need urgent attention.
The Yilo Krobo NDC Constituency Chairman, Eric Keteku Odzeyem, who represented the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, pledged their commitment to the project.
The Yilo Krobo Municipal Chief Executive, Francis Addo Akumatey, hinted that plans are underway to upgrade the clinic to a polyclinic status to enable it to serve the increasing number of people who patronize the facility. He assured the residents that the government is putting in place measures to refurbish the market and the roads leading to the market under the Big Push project.
