By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Integrated Ga–Gbese Korle Smart City and Beach Development Project, a $17 billion public-private partnership, is expected to generate over 100,000 jobs for Ghanaian youth upon completion, as government moves closer to implementation.
The job-creation drive follows a committee meeting held on Tuesday, February 3, aimed at aligning stakeholders on the delivery of the project. The meeting was chaired by the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South and former Mayor of Accra, Hon. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, and attended by the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey.
Discussions at the meeting focused on financing coordination, technical planning, and the social safeguards expected to accompany the large-scale redevelopment of communities and waterfront areas around the Korle Lagoon.
The Smart City initiative, to be delivered in specialised zones, is designed to stimulate employment while transforming the area into a modern urban hub. Key components of the project include a commercial business enclave, a financial and corporate district, recreational and marina facilities, sea defence and breakwater infrastructure, a community health corridor with hospital and polyclinic services, a community theatre, a high bridge across the lagoon, and affordable housing units.
The first phase of the project is estimated at $700 million, marking the initial step in the broader $17 billion redevelopment plan.
Speaking after the committee meeting, Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey said the project would move beyond prolonged discussions, stressing that it would not be treated as a talk-focused engagement.
He indicated his intention to prioritise visible progress and practical action, signalling a fast-tracked approach as the project transitions from planning to implementation.
The Integrated Ga–Gbese Korle Smart City and Beach Development Project is expected to play a major role in addressing youth unemployment while reshaping the Korle Lagoon corridor through long-term urban renewal and economic development.
