Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has assured market women that plans to establish the Women Development Bank are progressing steadily, urging them to remain patient as consultations continue to shape the initiative.
Addressing traders at the 65th Greater Accra Markets Association gathering held at Kaneshie in Accra on Thursday, February 12, 2026, the Vice President disclosed that government has already earmarked seed funding for the bank in the 2026 Budget.
According to her, broad stakeholder engagement is underway to ensure the bank is properly structured to serve its intended beneficiaries.
“Even yesterday we had a workshop, and today it will continue, it’s a 2-day workshop concerning the Women Development Bank. Everybody has to be involved including the ‘’susu’’ savers. We need to take our time and do it well. We (NDC) do our things progressively’’. She added.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang explained that the consultations are critical to building an inclusive financial institution that addresses the needs of women traders, particularly those in the informal sector.
Beyond the proposed bank, the Vice President also urged traders in the Greater Accra Region to prioritise sanitation and safety within market centres. She stressed that maintaining hygienic trading environments is essential for protecting public health and sustaining business growth.
“Clean and safe markets are not only good for business, but they are also critical to public health,” she noted, reaffirming government’s commitment to improving conditions in markets nationwide.
Also speaking at the event, Political Advisor to the Vice President, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, appealed to traders to review their pricing in light of recent economic developments. He argued that declining fuel prices and a strengthening cedi should translate into relief for consumers.
‘’Price of fuel is down; the dollar has depreciated but prices of goods remain high. Price of maize is also down so those selling kenkey should increase the size of it and reduce the price also.’’ He appealed.
President of the Greater Accra Markets Association, Mercy Afrowa Needjan, welcomed what she described as signs of macroeconomic stability but raised concerns about the pricing practices of importers.
‘’We have all seen the reduction in fuel prices and the improvement in the value of the cedi against the dollar. However, we are worried that importers have refused to reduce prices of goods in the markets, and this is affecting our members and consumers. We humbly appeal to government and relevant authorities to look into this matter so that the benefits of economic improvements can reflect in market prices.’’
The 65th Greater Accra Markets Association gathering brought together traders, market leaders and other stakeholders to deliberate on operational challenges and explore strategies to strengthen the sector. The discussions underscored the pivotal role market women play in Ghana’s economic development and the importance of collaboration between government and traders in building a resilient and sustainable market system.
