Local Gov’t Minister commits to sustainable urban dev’t

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June 7, 2024
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The Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has reiterated government’s commitment to advancing sustainable urban development.

Giving the assurance during the Ghana Urban Forum, the Minister stressed that government was focused on fostering resilient urban areas. He emphasised the government’s dedication to navigating the complexities of urbanization to build thriving communities for future generations.

“Urbanization presents a lot of opportunities that have the potential to change the face of our development,” the Minister said.

He highlighted the transformative power of sustainable urban growth in addressing issues such as congestion and environmental degradation, while enhancing infrastructure and service delivery.

The Minister further outlined the government’s comprehensive approach to sustainable urban development, detailing flagship programmes and projects initiated by the Ministry.

These, he mentioned, include the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Programme, the Local Government Capacity Support Programme, and the Sustainable Cities Project – Phase 1.

These initiatives, coupled with strategic partnerships and inter-sectoral collaboration, aim to address multifaceted challenges and create resilient urban ecosystems. “Our determination is reflected in the mandatory and periodic global and national reports, which show the significant progress being made in our urban spaces,” the Minister said. He also cited tangible evidence of Ghana’s strides towards achieving sustainable urbanization.

However, he acknowledged the persistent threats posed by emerging challenges such as pandemics, extremism and climate change, underscoring the need for adaptive and forward-thinking approaches.

He said it was in alignment with global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda that Ghana remained committed to fostering inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities.

The Minister stressed the importance of grassroots engagement, citizen participation and decentralized governance in driving meaningful urban transformation.

“As a Ministry responsible for coordinating the implementation of urban development policies, we wish to entreat stakeholders to take ownership of policies focused on urban development to effect the needed change and transform our urban areas,” the Minister Korsah stared, stressing the imperative of collective action and shared responsibility.

The forum, themed “Nurturing Roots, Growing Futures,” brought together government officials, civil society organizations, businesses and international partners. Knowledge sharing and innovative solutions were central to the event, with discussions focusing on urban issues like traffic congestion, environmental concerns, and inadequate infrastructure.

The Forum concluded with a renewed sense of purpose among participants, determined to work towards effective urban planning and development.

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December 3, 2024
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President commissions phase II of the Tema Motorway Interchange

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday commissioned the Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II project, a major intersection connecting the capital city of Accra to the industrial city of Tema.

The facility, coming on the back of the recent inauguration of the Flowerpot and Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchanges, is designed to ease traffic congestion at the five-legged Tema intersection.

It is one of the critical components of the rehabilitation and expansion of the 19.5-kilometer stretch encompassing the transformation of the Motorway into a modern 10-lane divided highway.

“Road infrastructure is the backbone of the nation’s progress,” the President said, noting that giving Ghana’s busiest Motorway a facelift was fundamental to accelerated socio-economic advancement.

The Accra-Tema Motorway has served as a vital artery for the nation’s development for nearly six decades, linking the industrial city to the other parts of the country and West African sub-Region.

The Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II project commenced in July 2022, aiming to enhance urban mobility, logistics and trade integration in the Greater Accra Region, as well as the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS.

Following a preparatory survey by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, the Phase One converted the roundabout into a two-tier intersection and was completed ahead of schedule in June 2020.

The second phase involved the construction of a third-tier flyover to alleviate the traffic burden at the intersection.

The entire Motorway rehabilitation project’s scope includes the rehabilitation of three critical sections: the Accra-Tema Motorway, the George Walker Bush Highway and the Nsawam Road.

The construction of both phase One and Phase II were funded by a Japanese grant of 91 million dollars.

President Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that the objective was to remove bottlenecks on the major highways to facilitate regional trade and economic integration.

“These projects are part of a deliberate policy to decentralise economic opportunities and ensure equitable development across the nation.

“From the Pokuase Interchange, the largest in West Africa, to the Tamale Interchange, the first of its kind in northern Ghana, we have worked tirelessly to open up our country, reduce disparities, and empower communities,” he emphasised.

The Government, the President said, had laid the foundation for a resilient economically vibrant and inclusive Ghana, touting his administration’s successes in education, healthcare, amongst others.

The World Bank, in a 2023 report, said rapid increases in population and vehicle ownership had led to unsustainable commuting times and deteriorating air quality in most developing countries.

“The impacts of highway construction are procompetitive in both output and input markets, increasing labour’s share of income by about 1.8 to 2.3 percentage points,” according to the global apex financial body.

It added that urban transportation systems played a key role in shaping the growth and development of cities.

Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Roads and Highways, lauded the Japanese Government for its support in completing the project.

He assured the public that the government was committed to improving the road conditions linking the Tema Motorway Interchange, including the Tema Aflao road

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November 27, 2024
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1 minute Read

Police establish GHC20,000 informant system ahead of December polls

The National Election Security Taskforce has introduced a financial reward system to encourage the public to report potential security threats ahead of the upcoming elections.

Under the initiative, informants can share relevant information with the police or other security agencies and receive rewards ranging from GH¢1,000 to GH¢20,000.

Reports can be made via the toll-free hotline 0800-311-311.

The Inspector General of Police and head of the National Election Security Taskforce, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, announced the initiative during a meeting with the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) on Wednesday, November 27.

Dr. Dampare emphasized that the programme aims to bolster election security by encouraging public participation in safeguarding the process.

“We are introducing the informant reward system, and the figure involved is between GH¢1,000 and GH¢20,000. You bring the information, we operationalise it, and if the results are good, we tell you how much you will be given and you tell us the means through which you will want it, and we send it to you.

“For that matter, we have introduced a toll-free number for that purpose, and anybody who will want to share information with us and that toll-free number is 0800-311-311.”

Source: citinewsroom.com