Closer collaboration with communities vital for devt— Ga South MCE
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga South Municipal Assembly (GASMA), Mr Joseph Nyarni Stephen, has called for close collaboration between the assembly and communities to ensure accelerated development at the local level.
Advertisement
Mr Stephen said since the Assembly serves as the link between the people and the central government, their concerns could be best addressed when there was effective communication between the assembly and the communities.
Mr Stephen made the call when the executive of the Bortianor Sea View Landowners Association paid a courtesy call on him at the Weija offices of the assembly on Thursday.
He said the assembly was taking the necessary measures to address the shortfalls in infrastructural development within the municipality.
Mandate
He reminded the executive that the mandate of the assembly was to provide infrastructure within their communities, and added that since the people were the beneficiaries of such infrastructure,and as such their interests would be best served if they maintained closer collaboration and got involved in the execution of projects.
He, therefore, urged the executive of the association not to hesitate to bring to the notice of the assembly their challenges and suggestions for them to dialogue and find a common approach to solutions of the problems of the community.
Briefing members of the association, the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr Ben Armah, said as one of the fastest growing and newly created municipalities, the GASMA faced a number of challenges in infrastructural development.
Road network
Mr Armah said some of the major challenges of the assembly were the poor road network, schools, health and sanitation facilities within the municipality and that the Assembly was collaborating with the Department of Urban Roads and the relevant agencies to address the deficiency.
Other Trending Stories
He said out of the 1317 kilometres of roads within the municipality, only 158 kilometres represnting 12 per cent of the total network, was paved, while 88 per cent was unpaved.
He said considering the strategic position and the economic importance of the municipality, the assembly was making efforts to make itself competitive with the other municipalities.
Strategic location
The GASMA is located between the Ga East, Ga West, Accra Metropolitan and the Awutu-Senya East assemblies.
The Weija Lake, which provides water for Accra West, the largest salt industry- PANBROS ,and the West Hills Mall as well as fast developing industries and businesses are located within the municipality. It also has one of the best beaches with resorts and landmark hills (the MacCarthy Hills) which gives it a lovely scenery.
Chairman’s response
The Chairman of the Seaview Landowners Association, Mr Kobby Asmah, said the association had initiated measures with the administration and the Krokrobite District Police Command to address challenges such as security, activities of landguards, lack of water, street lights, among others, facing the association.
Mr Asmah said the association could be of immense benefit to the assembly in terms of revenue generation by helping it to collect taxes such as property rate and income tax from small-scale business entrepreneurs.
He pledged the association’s commitment to strengthen its collaboration with the assembly for the rapid development of the municipality.
Members of the association, who contributed during the discussions, called on the assembly to monitor and regulate the development of the area to ensure that it was not turned into a slum.