Mr Dan Botwe, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), has urged the local assemblies to help contribute to the development of urban areas. He said according to the Ghana Statistical Service, about 56 per cent of people were living in the urban areas, hence the need for more developmental projects. Mr Botwe called on the local assemblies to assist in the implementation of projects and policies, stating that the Local Government Act was always available to aid them to enable them to effectively perform their functions and discharge their duties. The minister said this during a sod-cutting ceremony of the Urban Development Grant III (UDG-3) in the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly and the Agona West Municipal Assembly, under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP). The programme, which involves 35 Municipal Assemblies, and all 16 Regional Coordinating Councils, seeks to provide basic urban infrastructure and improve the institutional capacity for urban management under the programme. The GSCSP is a Government of Ghana initiative of the MLGDRD, supported by the International Development Association (IDA) with a credit of USD100 million from the World Bank and is being implemented over a five-years period, from 2019 to 2023. After a mid-term review of the programme, an additional financing of USD145 million was approved with an extension of the programme's completion to December 2025. The Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly's project included the construction of Ofaakor-Jei river road with side drains and culvert (3.7km) double seal bituminous surfacing, construction of proposed triple 3.0M x 3.0 box culvert and approach road at Akweley, Kasoa. The others included the construction of 8,500 square metres external pavement works with precast concrete paver blocks for Kasoa old market and the construction of single 3.0m x 2.5m box culvert with approach roads at rock city, Kasoa. The estimated cost of the UDG-3 for the assembly's sub-project is GHS 35.3 million. That of Agona West Municipal Assembly also included the construction of phase one of 60 lockable stores at the Mandela Market and the construction of double seal bituminous road at Otabilkrom. Also, the estimated cost of the UDG-3 for their sub-projects is GHS 15.7 million. The minister said the projects were selected by the assemblies with consultations from their stakeholders, stating that the ministry had its consultants and monitoring team to make sure that the project design was strictly adhered to. He said the UDG I and II were already completed, and that 25 Municipalities benefited from it, which had now been increased to 35 Municipalities. Mr Botwe added that due to the increment in the unit of the per capita income given to the assemblies from about GHS 7 million to GHS 17 million, he was impressed with the level of development so far, stating that, 'that is why we are very particular that there is value for money for the people to benefit.' Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, Member of Parliament, Awutu Senya East Municipal East Assembly, said the assembly joined the GSCSP from the inception in 2019. She added that the assembly had already benefited from UDG I and II, and was slated to benefit from the UDG III, IV and V, in addition to financial support for cap The Member of Parliament said the Government of Ghana was committed to constructing more roads in the Awutu Senya Constituency. She appealed to the local government minister to elevate the Awutu Senya Municipal Assembly to a Metropolitan status, adding that the Municipality was now above the Metropolitan status because of its vast population. Mrs Cynthia Morrison, Member of Parliament, Agona West Municipal Assembly, expressed excitement over the interventions made by the Government of Ghana and the MLGDRD, with support from the World Bank. 'What our hearts desire has come to pass, we have seen our market women squatting in the sun and had nowhere to sit during rainfalls, but as we speak today, the sod has been cut for the commencement of a market for them,' she added.

Source: Ghana News Agency