By Adnan Adams Mohammed
Investors eye a sweeping infrastructure expansion in eastern Ghana as President John Dramani Mahama officially broke ground on a multi-district development project to construct 18 model markets across the Volta Region. Designed to catalyze the government’s landmark “24-hour economy” policy, the initiative opens massive private sector runways in commercial real estate, cold-chain logistics, agritech, and digital payment systems across the region.
The regional rollout commenced on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in the North Tongu District, where the President broke ground for a massive, ultramodern 24-Hour Economy Model Market in Juapong. The overarching project aims to build one model market in each district across the Volta Region, drastically expanding retail infrastructure, stimulating cross-border commerce, and bolstering local value chains.
Addressing a vibrant durbar of chiefs, market queens, and local residents in Juapong, President Mahama described the initiative as a paradigm shift from traditional market systems.
“This facility will serve as more than a traditional market,” President Mahama declared. “It has been designed as a modern enterprise centre to support aggregation, storage, processing, packaging, digital commerce, financial services, and efficient distribution of agricultural produce.”
Juapong, strategically positioned along the Volta River, was selected as the launchpad for the regional project due to its rich agricultural potential and industrial heritage. While it is not a metropolitan area, the town has been designated to receive a Category Four Market—the largest and highest classification under the national programme, presenting a prime hub for supply-chain and warehousing investors.
The President emphasized the vast economic relief the infrastructure will offer local producers who frequently battle supply chain bottlenecks.
“The market will provide farmers with reliable access to organised markets, reduce post-harvest losses, improve incomes, and create new opportunities for traders, artisans, transport operators, food processors, and other businesses while strengthening local value chains,” the President explained.
Once completed, the sprawling Juapong facility will boast 100 lockable stores, 150 market stalls, 10 advanced warehouses, a standard supermarket, a livestock section, and butcher shops equipped with specialized cold storage. It will also feature restaurants, food courts, and integrated digital payment hubs to facilitate non-stop, day-and-night trading.
President Mahama revealed that the 18 markets planned for the Volta Region form part of a broader nationwide policy to construct 24-hour model markets across all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
The President’s high-profile entourage includes Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, and heads of various public institutions. Beyond the market project, the first day of the tour includes stops at the Peki College of Education and the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Sokode. The President is also scheduled to inspect ongoing works on the Asikuma-Ho road under the “Big Push” Programme and commission a new District Police Headquarters for Akatsi North.
The first day will conclude with an educational durbar focusing on the government’s Free Primary Health Care programme. On Friday, the tour will culminate in a massive town hall meeting at the Ho Technical University, allowing regional chiefs and citizens to engage directly with the presidency on developmental feedback.
