Ghanaian president, John Mahama, is on course to complete the building of the Kotokuraba Market in Cape Coast this year. These white elephant projects are not exclusive to Africa with famous examples being Castellón–Costa Azahar Airport in the north of Valencia and the Huesca-Pirineos Airport. This will jeopardise the livelihood of existing traders and subtract from the attractiveness of the market location. Similarly the Takoradi market circle, a market located in Takoradi the third largest city in Ghana, saw low patronage to its expanded location. These examples serve as a reminder that, along with the construction of a grand new complex, the soft details are equally as important to prevent the completion of a wasteful white elephant project.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 24, 2016 12:26 UTC