The Central Regional Minister, Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere, has asked metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the region to align their local development plans to the national 24-hour economy agenda.
He said that would help attract the central government and the private sector for collaborations that will accelerate socio-economic development in the region.
Mr Okyere said the policy presented a timely opportunity for all development actors to unlock the economic potential and reduce unemployment across the region.
He was speaking at the Central Regional Coordinating Council meeting recently.
He particularly urged the MMDAs to take advantage of the government's 24-hour economy initiative by identifying and designating local economic zones for extended-hour activities.
This, he said, they must do by improving street lighting and security in commercial areas, facilitating permits for nighttime operations and supporting small and medium-scale enterprises with infrastructure and logistics to thrive.
Cooperation
He called for cooperation to build the region into a clean, secure, industrious and prosperous one.
Mr Okyere further called on the MMDAs to commit to transformational leadership, inter-agency cooperation and accountability.
According to Mr Okyere, only nine out of the 22 MMDAs in the region scored above 80 per cent on compliance indicators related to planning, budgeting and reporting in the 2023 district performance assessment tool (DPAT).
Additionally, he said internally-generated funds mobilisation grew by a modest 3.2 per cent, falling below the national average of 5.9 per cent.
On judicious use of state resources, Mr Okyere said, "We are accountable to the people with our stewardship and must endeavour to make judicious use of resources in a way that will cut down costs, reduce waste and prevent leakages as far as practicable.”
"It is important that we build and improve our capacities towards resource mobilisation and distribution," he said, adding that there was a need to build the capacities of officials to ensure this was achieved.
Illegal mining
He warned that the RCC would not spare anyone found to have engaged directly or indirectly in illegal mining activities, urging the metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to be vigilant and curb such activities in their districts.
He said arrests would be without fear or favour and cautioned all involved to desist from such activities.
He stated that to reclaim degraded lands caused by illegal mining in the region, the RCC had established a multi-sectoral reclamation committee in June 2025 to map out degraded lands across the mining districts in the region and had earmarked them for restoration.
On fishing, he said, the RCC would coordinate with the appropriate agencies to ensure premix got to the people who needed it and advised the MMDCEs to ensure this was done.
Mr Okyere stressed that the RCC would ensure that all major projects were completed before new ones began.
Encroachment
He also expressed worry over encroachment on public lands and gave the MMDCEs two weeks to report on all public lands in their jurisdiction for action.
The regional minister also emphasised the need for a coordinated spatial framework in the districts to avoid haphazard development.
He stated that regional and district spatial planning committees would be inaugurated to guide all infrastructural developments, zoning and land use in the region.
He further charged the MMDAs to intensify waste management operations and public education on sanitation practices.
"Open defecation must be eradicated and the national sanitation day exercises carried out and reported on monthly," he stated, adding that the region faced major environmental and sanitation challenges that threatened public health and sustainable development.
He said waste disposal, water pollution, open defecation, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities and the uncontrolled siting of refuse dumps were contributing to the spread of preventable diseases.
Touching on the dualisation of the Accra-Takoradi highway, Mr Okyere urged the assemblies to take urgent steps to prevent the unregulated development of structures along the highway to ensure the smooth construction, stating that despite repeated warnings, new structures continued to emerge along the highway.
