Ghana has secured a US$30 million grant from the People’s Republic of China to fund the construction of a state-of-the-art market facility in Aflao, a bustling border town in the Volta Region that serves as a key gateway between Ghana and Togo.
This was made known by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, at the signing ceremony that took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, on July 7, 2025.
In an X post, Ablakwa revealed that on the express instructions of President John Dramani Mahama, the funds will be used to construct a modern market in Aflao consistent with his promise during the 2024 electioneering campaign, adding that a similar grant amount from China was used to construct the impressive Kotokuraba market in Cape Coast during the Mills/Mahama era.
He said the new, befitting modern Aflao market is expected to boost economic activity, link the Ho and Lome markets, and improve livelihoods in an enclave that is a major West African trading hub.
Prior to the 2024 general elections, John Dramani Mahama, of the NDC, promised to build a modern market in Aflao as part of his comprehensive plan to revitalise economic activities in the Volta Region and beyond.
This pledge was made at a rally at the Ho market, where he addressed market women, traders, and enthusiastic supporters.
The proposed modern market in Aflao is envisioned to be a key economic hub, linking the Ho market to the famous Asigame market in Lomé, Togo.
According to Mahama, this strategic connection will foster cross-border trade, enabling market women and traders in the Volta Region to tap into the larger West African market.
He emphasised that this initiative would not only boost local businesses but also create a seamless flow of goods and services between the two countries, thereby promoting regional economic integration.
“We are going to build a modern market in Aflao that will be linked to the Ho market and the Lomé Asigame market,” Mahama declared to the cheering crowd. “This market will catalyse economic growth, bringing prosperity to our people by creating opportunities for trade and commerce on an unprecedented scale,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of this project in empowering market women and traders, who are often the backbone of local economies. He noted that the modern market would provide them with better infrastructure, enhanced security, and improved facilities, thereby enabling them to conduct their businesses more effectively and profitably.
Situated on the Atlantic coast and home to roughly 66,500 residents, Aflao plays a pivotal role in cross‑border trade, with heavy flows of goods and cargo moving through the town’s Togo–Ghana border checkpoint.
The new market aims to enhance this position by providing modern infrastructure, improved logistics capabilities, and upgraded facilities for traders and consumers alike.
