By: Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Minister for Local Government, Decentralization & Rural Development, Dan Kweku Botwe as part of inspecting the progress of work of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Projects, GSCSP has toured three Municipalities under the programme in the Eastern Region.
He revealed that as part the programme, over 582 projects are ongoing in 48 districts in the country.
There was also a call to involve, engage and allow locals to own projects to enable projects yield the needed results.
The development objective of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme Project is to help improve urban management and basic urban services in participating municipal assemblies.
As a result, five Municipalities namely Lower Manya Krobo, New Juaben South, Abuakwa South, Upper West Akyem and Birim Central have been selected in the Eastern Region to benefit from the project.
In order to monitor the progress of work in these selected Municipalities, Mr. Botwe, paid a working visit to three, namely Lower Manya Krobo, New Juaben South and Abuakwa South Municipalities.
At Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, after visiting the Konor of Manya Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Sakite, the Minister inspected a fully completed business centre at the Municipal Assembly, 188 lockable stores at the Agormanya Market, the construction of culvert at Manaam on the Odumase to Kpong road, the construction of the Atua Hospital road through Mount Mary College of Education to Somanya among others.
At New Juaben South, the Minister called on the Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Kwaku Boateng and later inspected the rehabilitation of the Jackson Park project.
At Abuakwa South, the Minister called on the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin and later inspected the fully completed ultramodern 44 hostel facility with auditorium for events and canteen, an ultramodern market with shopping mall which is at a window level among others.
Mr. Botwe noted that the project is not just about building of infrastructure but also building of capacities and support of people in the beneficiary municipalities.
He encouraged Ghanaians to continue to hold authorities at the various Assemblies on the programme accountable for their work.
He spoke to GBC News about his satisfaction after the day one of the tour.
The Capacity Building and Institutional Development Specialist at the Local Government Ministry, George Nti explained that Municipalities are selected to be part of the project based on their performance and the amount given to each municipality is based on their scores and population of the area.
At Abuakwa South, the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin noted that centrality of government is outdated hence the need to embrace decentralized government.
He reiterated that centrality government is an agent to corruption, lacks transparency, accountability and truthfulness.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin hinted that rural development carries a lot of weight for the country’s development.
The day two of the tour continues Friday where the Minister will inspect projects in Upper West Akyem and Birim Central Municipalities of the Eastern region.
