Presiding Member for the new Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality (EKMA), John Davis has warned that all dormant stores at the Apremudo market are going to be reallocated to interested and serious persons who want to trade there.
The Presiding Member in an interview with Spice News fumed that persons who have been granted right of occupancy at any of the stores but have failed to operate in them might be compelled to exit them. Mr Davis argues that the assembly risk losing revenue when the facility is under-utilized.
“Almost all the stores there have been taken by some people and they are not operating. So we are taken the necessary steps to reallocate them to other interested persons. To me it isn’t right that you acquire the stores and decide to sit at your comfort zone and decide when to come in. It is not helping the system, we are also loosing revenue to that effect”
He adds that “even if occupants renew their subscriptions for additional months or year and it’s not opened, we will take it from you”
Several complaints have flooded our Spice News platform over inequalities and restrictions by the STMA in granting access to traders and applicants to stores at the market.
But Mr. Davis noted the new executives of the assembly would do their possible best to correct the situation.
He adds that notices have been sent to such persons to resume operations at the stores they applied for or risk being vacated.
“Notices have been served them, and they are now chasing us asking for some additional time to assume business. What we need to understand is that the stores are bona fide property of the assembly. If you are given a store now doesn’t mean it shall be yours forever. It can only be yours only if you do what is expected of you”, he said.
Mr Davies disclosed that the assembly in a proactive manner has reviewed their contract terms to specify certain clauses that could enforce settlement in the stores, and subsequently protect the assembly’s interest in mobilizing revenue out of it.
“The contracts signed previously with them was so relaxing. But we have given to the assembly’s solicitor to fine tune the contract. So you read the clauses under the new one, you will see they are compelling this time to get you to do the right thing”, he noted.
Kojo Ennimil Arthur|Beachfmonline.com|Ghana
