Across the world, urban population is growing rapidly, forcing planning authorities to re-evaluate policies and spatial planning of infrastructure, urban spaces, housing and public services to ensure that they sustainably support human well-being.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 11) calls for the promotion of sustainable and integrated urban planning and management to make cities more resilient to disasters and climate change.
The goal of sustainable cities is therefore to create urban environments that promote the well-being of residents, while minimising negative impacts on the environment and the ecosystem.
Urban green spaces play a crucial role in promoting sustainable cities by improving the health and well-being of residents through vital ecosystem services. However, this remains a significant challenge in Accra, where uncontrolled physical development has resulted in adverse impacts on the environment and the ecological system.
GAMA
It has, therefore, become imperative for public policy makers, planners and administrators to make cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
This need was one of the reasons informing the preparation of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Structure Plan in 2023.
The other reasons were to ensure that the areas surrounding the Accra Urban Transport Project (AUTP) intersection at Pokuase junction were properly planned, preventing uncontrolled, haphazard, and fragmented urban expansion.
There was a need to update the GAMA 1991 Strategic Plan and provide a framework for the effective monitoring of implementation.
It was also to correct the gaps in the Greater Accra Spatial Development Framework (2017-2037), which left out two districts of GAMA, while not having been fully implemented, as intended by planning authorities.
GAMAPLAN
The GAMA Structure Plan, also called GAMAPLAN 2040, is a comprehensive Structure Plan for the GAMA to be implemented in 32 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) by 2040.
The plan has 20 goals organised into five thematic perspectives reflecting on land use, economic development, environment and climate change, connectivity and infrastructure and services.
These perspectives are interlinked with the achievement of the overall vision of GAMA, which is to “cultivate a sustainable, prosperous, accessible, and well served region that provides opportunity for all”.
The GAMA Plan emphasises these elements to ensure that growth, land development, transportation and economic opportunities positively impact the future of the region.
The GAMA’s population has grown rapidly, which is now at more than 6.2 million people, more than double the 3.0 million population size of 2000. It is projected to increase to between 10 to 11 million residents by 2040.
This implies that without careful planning, population growth could overstretch infrastructural capacity, educational facilities, natural resources, and other public services that enhance human well-being.
The plan is expected to be used by MDAs, MMDAs, non-governmental organisations and civil societies, developers, among others as an essential tool for guiding sustainable development and to address the challenges identified in GAMA.
Revision
The ongoing revision of the manual for preparation of Spatial Plans and Zoning Guidelines and Planning Standards documents to align with the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925) and the Land Use and Spatial Planning Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2384) would further strengthen the implementation of the GAMA structure plan at the MMDAs level.
The full implementation of the GAMA structure plan would not only demonstrate a renewed approach to development planning in the region, but also serve as a model for spatial planning across the 16 regions towards sustainable cities and a firm foundation for the 24-hour-economy initiative of the government.
This is especially important considering that GAMA serves as the economic hub of the nation, a centre for industry and home to a vibrant service sector that support economic transformation and national development.
Corporate affairs officer,
Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority. (LUSPA)
E-mail: stematash@gmail.com
