The people affected by the reconstruction of the Ganhi market in Cotonou can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Indeed, as part of the modernisation and construction of urban and regional markets, the Government of Benin has decided to support the people impacted by these projects for their rehousing while waiting for the end of the works for their resettlement.
About 67,000,000 FCFA is the amount mobilised by President Patrice Talon and his team to support these economic operators. The ceremony to hand over cheques to a first batch of 18 shop operators took place on Friday 18 November at the headquarters of the Society for Road Infrastructure and Land Management (SIRAT) in Cotonou. It should be noted that there are two categories of operators: those who have already been rehoused in the provisional markets and those who have not yet been rehoused due to the nature of their activities. It is therefore to this second category that the cheques were granted.
Furthermore, on behalf of the Minister of Living Environment and Sustainable Development, François Agomadjè, Director of Operations of SIRAT; Fabrice Babatoundé, Head of Markets Project/SIRAT; and Maxime Hongbete, MOS/SIRAT, invited the beneficiaries to make good use of the funds for their rehousing while waiting for the end of the works of Ganhi market. According to them, the government has decided to support these operators so that they can rehouse themselves and continue their activities during the reconstruction period. It should be noted that these compensated operators mark the second phase of the support process.
Elisabeth Agbossaga Jawad, on behalf of the shop operators, thanked the Government for having taken a historic step: “We are very glad. This is the first time that a government has accompanied the promoters during the construction of a market. We thank President Patrice Talon very much. It goes straight to our hearts,” she said.
The renovation of the Ganhi shopping centre is a project at the heart of President Patrice Talon’s Government Action Program. It aims to beautify the city centre of Cotonou, relieve traffic congestion in the area, improve the business climate in the area and secure the lagoon and maritime coasts.
Since 2016, the government of Patrice Talon has initiated the construction of nine (09) urban markets in Cotonou. These
modern markets built in accordance with international standards will ease the pain of market women by enabling them to carry out their economic activities in a more open and secure environment. In total, the project will impact 35 urban and regional markets throughout the country.
