GOLD mining in the Western Region continues to affect the lives of people in the communities located in the various concessions both positively and negatively.
The farms of the affected people are either destroyed or the entire community is resettled to make way for the mining operations.
Sometimes, the affected people raise objection to some of the mining projects due to the negative effects the project would have on them, while others embrace it, as a result of the contribution the mining project would make to the general development of the people in the communities.
To create a platform for the affected people to raise their concerns, objection or otherwise, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), holds public hearing on an environmental impact statement prepared by the mining company concerned to iron out all conflicts and differences before a final licence is issued to the company to start its new operations.
It is in consonance with this that the EPA organised a public hearing on a proposed Ajopa Gold Mining Project by AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) Limited at Pepesa in the Prestea-Huni Valley District in the Western Region to make way for the operation of the new mine.
At the public hearing, people in the nine farming communities located in the mining concession unanimously supported the start of the project.
However, the farmers raised some concerns which management of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) has agreed to address.
The communities, namely Wangarakrom, Badukrom, Nkyemia, Alaala, Tokunanso, Owusukrom, Huniso, Pepesa and Ajopa, did not raise any objection to the project.
Three of the villages, namely Alaala, Tokunanso and Owusukrom which are within the immediate catchment area of the mine also agreed to be resettled at a place of their choice.
Some of the concerns raised included the effects of blasting and dust on the people’s health, as well as the possible pollution of the main source of drinking water which takes its source from the Ajopa Ridge where the mining operation will be concentrated.
They also called for the general development of the affected villages including the extension of electricity to Pepesa and the development of oil palm plantation for the communities as being done by other mining companies in the area.
Some of the farmers complained about discrepancies in the payment of compensation as some of them were paid less than they expected.
Nana Kingsley Awudu of Wangarakrom and Nana Hamidu Haruna of Badukrom complained that the villages were located between the two concessions of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) and Gold Fields Ghana Limited and as such, the villages were not getting assistance from the two companies.
They buttressed their point with the fact that the two villages were not found on the map of the Ajopa Mining Project, while all the other villages could be located on the map.
The Ajopa Gold Mining Project covers 48 square kilometres 25 per cent out of which would be disturbed.
An estimated 345,000 ounces of gold is expected to be mined within a two-year period.
Already, AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) has paid a total of GH¢1,158,085 as compensation, while additional GH¢2,679,000.74 would be paid to 731 farmers.
The company has also paid GH¢483,000.09 to farmers whose farms were on the haul road.
A total of 375 households will be impacted, comprising three hamlets on the haul road.
The Mining Manager of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine), Dr E. Baffour Boakye explained that water suppression would be used to reduce fugitive dust in the environment, haul and access roads.
He said the company would monitor dust in the communities and at the project site, while top soil would be stockpiled and managed for future rehabilitation.
Dr Boakye said there would be visual assessment of erosion and analysis of run-off water quality as a preventive measure, and that the company would carry out monitoring of vibration and air blast and redesign blasting if blasting levels were high.
He said there would be improvement and maintenance of the existing community access roads.
The Prestea-Huni Valley District Chief Executive, Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, said all the gold mining companies in the district were the district assembly’s partners in development.
He urged the companies to be transparent in their operations, especially in the area of employment, attachment and scholarship.
Mr Cudjoe advised the farmers to use the compensation paid to them to establish lucrative ventures and not to spend them on unprofitable activities.
The Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Head of Mining, Mr Ransford Sekyi, explained that when gold mining started around 1888 in the country, there was nothing such as public hearing.
He said the Environmental Act, EPA Act 490, December 1994, as well as the Legislative Instrument (LI) on Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation enjoined all mining companies to adhere to the mining laws.
He therefore, urged the people in the mining communities to study the environmental impact assessment statement to enable them to make inputs.
Mr Sekyi said no compensation would be paid to unaffected farms in the concession.
The Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine), Mr Billy Mawasha, said the company was committed to its community development values.
He called on the people in the catchment area to support the project as they had supported other projects to enable the company to also support them in their development programmes.
Friday, September 3, 2010
PREVENT CHILDREN FROM GOING TO DRINKING BARS (PAGE 22, SEPT 3, 2010)
PARENTS have been called upon to be vigilant to ensure that their children under 18 years of age do not go to drinking bars and other places where they may be exposed to immoral activities.
The Western Regional Director of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Mr John Hackman, who made the call, said parental duties were very crucial since parental neglect and irresponsibility were the basis of child abuse which had placed many children in difficult situations.
Mr Hackman made the call at a camp meeting organised by the Children’s Ministry Department of the Assemblies of God Church for children of the church in the southern part of the Western Region at the Ahantaman Senior High School.
About 200 children of the church attended the five-day camp meeting which was on the theme: “Seeking the double portion of the spirit for kingdom service.”
Mr Hackman said children had challenging times due to globalisation and information technology.
He stated that children were exposed to happenings in other parts of the world which were either positive or negative.
“It is, therefore, incumbent on parents or adults to ensure that children are insulated from foreign cultures and immoral influences,” he emphasised.
Clarifying some misconception about the Rights of the Child, Mr Hackman explained that, right of the child did not offer the children the right to misbehave or rebel against just principles.
Mr Hackman urged the children to understand that no right was absolute and that “rights go hand-in-hand with duties and responsibilities.”
“If a child has a right to food, he or she also has the responsibility not to waste food; if a child has a right to education, he or she also has responsibility to ensure that he goes to school regularly or take school work seriously,” he stated.
Mr Hackman said other responsibilities of the child towards the family included doing small tasks at home, such as laying the table, washing dishes, fetching water, maintaining cleanliness of the neighbourhood, among others.
He said what was irresponsible was to allow the child to do any work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it was carried out was likely to affect the health, safety, education and morals of the child.
He also advised them not to be in haste to engage in activities which were the preserve of adults.
Mr Hackman expressed concern about some deviant behaviour of some children, especially Internet fraud, watching pornographic materials, playing truancy, disobedience, and desire for money, indiscipline, hooliganism, drug abuse, alcoholism, examination malpractice, indecent dressing and other anti-social activities that were detrimental to their future well-being.
He said children who engaged in those negative acts lost their potentials and became social misfits.
The Western Regional Director of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Mr John Hackman, who made the call, said parental duties were very crucial since parental neglect and irresponsibility were the basis of child abuse which had placed many children in difficult situations.
Mr Hackman made the call at a camp meeting organised by the Children’s Ministry Department of the Assemblies of God Church for children of the church in the southern part of the Western Region at the Ahantaman Senior High School.
About 200 children of the church attended the five-day camp meeting which was on the theme: “Seeking the double portion of the spirit for kingdom service.”
Mr Hackman said children had challenging times due to globalisation and information technology.
He stated that children were exposed to happenings in other parts of the world which were either positive or negative.
“It is, therefore, incumbent on parents or adults to ensure that children are insulated from foreign cultures and immoral influences,” he emphasised.
Clarifying some misconception about the Rights of the Child, Mr Hackman explained that, right of the child did not offer the children the right to misbehave or rebel against just principles.
Mr Hackman urged the children to understand that no right was absolute and that “rights go hand-in-hand with duties and responsibilities.”
“If a child has a right to food, he or she also has the responsibility not to waste food; if a child has a right to education, he or she also has responsibility to ensure that he goes to school regularly or take school work seriously,” he stated.
Mr Hackman said other responsibilities of the child towards the family included doing small tasks at home, such as laying the table, washing dishes, fetching water, maintaining cleanliness of the neighbourhood, among others.
He said what was irresponsible was to allow the child to do any work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it was carried out was likely to affect the health, safety, education and morals of the child.
He also advised them not to be in haste to engage in activities which were the preserve of adults.
Mr Hackman expressed concern about some deviant behaviour of some children, especially Internet fraud, watching pornographic materials, playing truancy, disobedience, and desire for money, indiscipline, hooliganism, drug abuse, alcoholism, examination malpractice, indecent dressing and other anti-social activities that were detrimental to their future well-being.
He said children who engaged in those negative acts lost their potentials and became social misfits.
GMC PROVIDES PROJECTS TO WR COMMUNITIES (PAGE 22, SEPT 3, 2010)
THE Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) has provided five projects for some communities in the Esuoso Divisional Stool Council which fall in its catchment area in the Tarkwa/Nsuaem Municipality.
The GH¢80,597.48 projects comprising a community centre each at Tarkwa Banso and Jerusalem and a three-unit classroom block at Enyinase are to improve the living condition of the people.
The rest of the projects are a 10-seater water-closet public place of convenience at Tamso and four-unit teachers’ quarters at Akyem to provide conducive accommodation for teachers to enable them to fully utilise contact hours with schoolchildren.
The company has also constructed a bore hole at Nsuta Zongo to provide potable water for the community.
Inaugurating the projects, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mrs Christina Kobina, urged people in the beneficiary communities to see the projects as their own and take good care of them to help increase their life span.
She also advised them not to politicise the projects since they belonged to all members of the beneficiary communities.
Mrs Kobina further urged the communities to live peacefully with the company to enable it to contribute meaningfully to their development efforts.
She urged the company to support the youth employment programme by giving on the job training to the youth in its catchment area.
The Human Resource and Administrative Manager of GMC, Mr Wisdom Adjei Mensah, said last year, the company approved seven infrastructure projects, adding that five of them were ready for inauguration while two were ongoing.
He stated that those developments were the result of the peaceful co-existence between the communities and the mine.
Mr Adjei Mensah commended the community leaders and the Esuoso Divisional Stool Council, the umbrella body of the 17 catchment communities for the effort made so far.
The Gyaasehene of the Esuoso Divisional Stool Council, Nana Asare Kojo said since the company started the community assistance project programme about nine years ago, it had contributed meaningfully to the development of the communities in the catchment area.
He said the projects, which had been provided to the communities had become their property so they should ensure their regular maintenance.
The assembly member for Tarkwa Banso, Mr Francis Archer, commended the Ghana Manganese Company for the numerous assistance offered the communities.
He, however, urged the company to continue to ensure that the living conditions of the people were improved.
The GH¢80,597.48 projects comprising a community centre each at Tarkwa Banso and Jerusalem and a three-unit classroom block at Enyinase are to improve the living condition of the people.
The rest of the projects are a 10-seater water-closet public place of convenience at Tamso and four-unit teachers’ quarters at Akyem to provide conducive accommodation for teachers to enable them to fully utilise contact hours with schoolchildren.
The company has also constructed a bore hole at Nsuta Zongo to provide potable water for the community.
Inaugurating the projects, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mrs Christina Kobina, urged people in the beneficiary communities to see the projects as their own and take good care of them to help increase their life span.
She also advised them not to politicise the projects since they belonged to all members of the beneficiary communities.
Mrs Kobina further urged the communities to live peacefully with the company to enable it to contribute meaningfully to their development efforts.
She urged the company to support the youth employment programme by giving on the job training to the youth in its catchment area.
The Human Resource and Administrative Manager of GMC, Mr Wisdom Adjei Mensah, said last year, the company approved seven infrastructure projects, adding that five of them were ready for inauguration while two were ongoing.
He stated that those developments were the result of the peaceful co-existence between the communities and the mine.
Mr Adjei Mensah commended the community leaders and the Esuoso Divisional Stool Council, the umbrella body of the 17 catchment communities for the effort made so far.
The Gyaasehene of the Esuoso Divisional Stool Council, Nana Asare Kojo said since the company started the community assistance project programme about nine years ago, it had contributed meaningfully to the development of the communities in the catchment area.
He said the projects, which had been provided to the communities had become their property so they should ensure their regular maintenance.
The assembly member for Tarkwa Banso, Mr Francis Archer, commended the Ghana Manganese Company for the numerous assistance offered the communities.
He, however, urged the company to continue to ensure that the living conditions of the people were improved.
PAC WONT ACCEPT EXCUSES — MANU (PAGE 12, SEPT 3, 2010)
THE Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) will not accept excuses from officials of the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies that they were not at post between 2001 and 2004 when queries are raised against audit reports for that period.
The Acting Chairman of PAC, Mr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, explained that queries were raised against reports of the assemblies as an institution and not the individual officers of the assemblies.
“You answer queries that have been raised against the assemblies, not individuals,” he explained.
He was speaking at the opening session of a public sitting of the PAC to hear audit reports covering 2001 to 2004 from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Western and Central Regions as well as the Western and Central Regional Co-ordinating Councils in Takoradi.
The forum was attended by metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives and their co-ordinating directors, district finance officers, internal auditors, presiding members as well as some members of the assemblies.
He noted that if the metropolitan, municipal and district audit report implementation committees (ARIC) were working effectively, there would not be any excuse.
He reminded the assemblies that there was a directive from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to the effect that all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies should set up audit report implementation committees to implement audit reports of the assemblies.
Mr Agyemang Manu said the PAC, just as other committees in Parliament, worked as non-partisan, adding “That is the spirit of working to develop the country“.
“We are working in accordance with the financial administration of the country to deepen the financial management of the country and to have value for money,” he said.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Busumtwi-Sam, noted that most MMDAs had not been diligent in the management of funds allocated to them and that millions of cedis had been lost through improper financial management.
She said the PAC sitting in the region to hear audit reports from the assemblies should serve as a wake-up call to all those who managed public funds to ensure that they were accounted for properly.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, said spending money and accounting for such money was a constitutional requirement.
She said along side the constitutional requirement, the audit report implementation committees was another structure to ensure proper accountability but many MMDAs did not have them in place.
She urged the Regional Co-ordinating Councils to ensure that queries raised against the MMDAs were corrected and that they were not repeated.
The Acting Chairman of PAC, Mr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, explained that queries were raised against reports of the assemblies as an institution and not the individual officers of the assemblies.
“You answer queries that have been raised against the assemblies, not individuals,” he explained.
He was speaking at the opening session of a public sitting of the PAC to hear audit reports covering 2001 to 2004 from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Western and Central Regions as well as the Western and Central Regional Co-ordinating Councils in Takoradi.
The forum was attended by metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives and their co-ordinating directors, district finance officers, internal auditors, presiding members as well as some members of the assemblies.
He noted that if the metropolitan, municipal and district audit report implementation committees (ARIC) were working effectively, there would not be any excuse.
He reminded the assemblies that there was a directive from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to the effect that all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies should set up audit report implementation committees to implement audit reports of the assemblies.
Mr Agyemang Manu said the PAC, just as other committees in Parliament, worked as non-partisan, adding “That is the spirit of working to develop the country“.
“We are working in accordance with the financial administration of the country to deepen the financial management of the country and to have value for money,” he said.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Busumtwi-Sam, noted that most MMDAs had not been diligent in the management of funds allocated to them and that millions of cedis had been lost through improper financial management.
She said the PAC sitting in the region to hear audit reports from the assemblies should serve as a wake-up call to all those who managed public funds to ensure that they were accounted for properly.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, said spending money and accounting for such money was a constitutional requirement.
She said along side the constitutional requirement, the audit report implementation committees was another structure to ensure proper accountability but many MMDAs did not have them in place.
She urged the Regional Co-ordinating Councils to ensure that queries raised against the MMDAs were corrected and that they were not repeated.
Monday, August 30, 2010
UNIVERSITY OF MINES HOLDS 6TH MATRICULATION (PAGE 11, AUGUST 30, 2010)
THE University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa will admit students into the environmental science, social responsibility and safety engineering department for the next academic year.
It is also part of the strategic plan of the university to mount, as soon as feasible, Technical English and Management Science programmes and an alternative Energy Technology programme, such as Solar Energy Engineering, Geothermal Energy Engineering, Wind Energy Engineering and Biomass Energy Engineering.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology, Professor Daniel Mireku-Gyimah announced this at the 6th matriculation of the university at Tarkwa at the weekend.
Out of 1,951 applicants who qualified for admission into the university, only 401, could be admitted.
The total undergraduate student population of the university now stands at 1,411, out of which 260 are female students, a number that has been increasing over the years.
Professor Mireku-Gyimah explained that 260 female students constituting 18.42 per cent of the total student population may not sound very significant but in the mining and hardcore engineering environment, which had hitherto been the preserve of men, the increasing number of female students was a clear indication of the university’s positive response to current gender equity campaigns across the word.
He said for this year’s admission, every female student who qualified was automatically admitted, adding “We shall continue to open our doors to all female applicants who express interest in mining and related engineering education”.
Professor Mireku-Gyimah reiterated that the vision of UMaT was to become a centre of excellence in the country and Africa for training world-class professionals in the fields of engineering, management science and information technology.
“In line with this vision, and to make our graduates more valuable in the international market, we have revised the content of our academic programmes to include courses which are relevant to modern day industrial practice”, he said.
The vice chancellor said apart from hardcore engineering disciplines, every student at the university had to learn Computer Applications, Communication Skills in English, Law of contract and tort, Economic Development planning, Business Entrepreneurship and Public Relations.
It is also part of the strategic plan of the university to mount, as soon as feasible, Technical English and Management Science programmes and an alternative Energy Technology programme, such as Solar Energy Engineering, Geothermal Energy Engineering, Wind Energy Engineering and Biomass Energy Engineering.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology, Professor Daniel Mireku-Gyimah announced this at the 6th matriculation of the university at Tarkwa at the weekend.
Out of 1,951 applicants who qualified for admission into the university, only 401, could be admitted.
The total undergraduate student population of the university now stands at 1,411, out of which 260 are female students, a number that has been increasing over the years.
Professor Mireku-Gyimah explained that 260 female students constituting 18.42 per cent of the total student population may not sound very significant but in the mining and hardcore engineering environment, which had hitherto been the preserve of men, the increasing number of female students was a clear indication of the university’s positive response to current gender equity campaigns across the word.
He said for this year’s admission, every female student who qualified was automatically admitted, adding “We shall continue to open our doors to all female applicants who express interest in mining and related engineering education”.
Professor Mireku-Gyimah reiterated that the vision of UMaT was to become a centre of excellence in the country and Africa for training world-class professionals in the fields of engineering, management science and information technology.
“In line with this vision, and to make our graduates more valuable in the international market, we have revised the content of our academic programmes to include courses which are relevant to modern day industrial practice”, he said.
The vice chancellor said apart from hardcore engineering disciplines, every student at the university had to learn Computer Applications, Communication Skills in English, Law of contract and tort, Economic Development planning, Business Entrepreneurship and Public Relations.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
BEACH C'TTEE ASSISTS NGYIRESIA (PAGE 38, AUGUST 30, 2010)
THE Ngyiresia Community Landing Beach Committee has presented items worth GH¢ 34,899.00 to people in the fishing community near Sekondi in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis to support their development efforts.
The items include 2,400 Chorkor fish smokers for women in the community, 100 bags of cement for the construction of pavements, 100 asbestos roofing sheets and electrical fittings for the school.
They were purchased with profits accrued from the sale of pre-mix fuel to fishermen in the community.
Speaking at a ceremony for the presentation of the items at Ngyiresia, a Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of fisheries, Mr Nii Amasa Namoale, urged the Police, the Navy and all stakeholders to arrest fishermen found using light, dynamite, carbide and DDT, as well as pair trawling for fishing and send them to court for prosecution.
He explained that the Legislative Instrument (LI) on the law banning those fishing methods had been passed by Parliament and that it was now unlawful to use those methods, adding “Now the law can bite.”
Mr Namoale advised parents in the fishing community to enrol their children who have reached school age, otherwise they would disappoint the children in future.
He said the world was moving very fast and that there was the need to send their children to school.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Busumtwi-Sam, commended the Ngyiresia Landing Beach Committee for the provision of the items and the proper management of revenue from its allocation of pre-mix fuel.
She urged the beneficiaries of the Chorkor fish smokers to take good care of them to help expand their business.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kobina Pra Annan, said the contract for the completion of the assembly’s landfill site project meant for the management of both solid and liquid waste, had been re-awarded and that the project was expected to be completed within nine months.
He said the discharge of liquid waste into the sea at Ngyiresia would stop immediately the project was completed.
The Assembly Member for Ngyiresia, Madam Joana Rita Yawson, said the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly had planned many projects for the community to help improve the living conditions of people in the area.
The items include 2,400 Chorkor fish smokers for women in the community, 100 bags of cement for the construction of pavements, 100 asbestos roofing sheets and electrical fittings for the school.
They were purchased with profits accrued from the sale of pre-mix fuel to fishermen in the community.
Speaking at a ceremony for the presentation of the items at Ngyiresia, a Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of fisheries, Mr Nii Amasa Namoale, urged the Police, the Navy and all stakeholders to arrest fishermen found using light, dynamite, carbide and DDT, as well as pair trawling for fishing and send them to court for prosecution.
He explained that the Legislative Instrument (LI) on the law banning those fishing methods had been passed by Parliament and that it was now unlawful to use those methods, adding “Now the law can bite.”
Mr Namoale advised parents in the fishing community to enrol their children who have reached school age, otherwise they would disappoint the children in future.
He said the world was moving very fast and that there was the need to send their children to school.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Busumtwi-Sam, commended the Ngyiresia Landing Beach Committee for the provision of the items and the proper management of revenue from its allocation of pre-mix fuel.
She urged the beneficiaries of the Chorkor fish smokers to take good care of them to help expand their business.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kobina Pra Annan, said the contract for the completion of the assembly’s landfill site project meant for the management of both solid and liquid waste, had been re-awarded and that the project was expected to be completed within nine months.
He said the discharge of liquid waste into the sea at Ngyiresia would stop immediately the project was completed.
The Assembly Member for Ngyiresia, Madam Joana Rita Yawson, said the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly had planned many projects for the community to help improve the living conditions of people in the area.
STMA TO BENEFIT FROM FOUR FUNDING SOURCES (PAGE 18, AUGUST 27, 2010)
THE Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has benefited from funding for projects towards the socio-economic development of the metropolis.
The funds are from the District Development Fund (DDF), the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP), the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and the Corporative Housing Foundation (CHF).
The assembly’s qualification for the DDF was based on the results of the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT) exercise conducted nationwide.
The results were that only the Western and Upper East regions recorded a 100 per cent performance to qualify for the 2009 investment projects under the District Development Fund.
The assembly has thus been given US$382,580.54 and it is in the process of finalising the preparation of sub-projects to be financed from the DDF for submission to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) received a capacity grant of GH¢19,000.00 in respect of the 2008 DDF and part of the amount has been used to procure office equipment for its planning unit.
The Corporative Housing Foundation (CHF), in collaboration with the STMA, has prepared a Poverty Profile Map for the metropolis.
The map shows the level of poverty in the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi for future interventions. The draft report has been validated by the assembly and is awaiting the finalised map.
The Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP) is being piloted in four cities across the country: Sekondi/Takoradi, Kumasi, Ho and Tamale and the total amount voted for the project is 40 million euros.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has proposed some sub-projects for implementation in the metropolis under the GUMPP.
The projects are the construction of a transit terminal for haulage trucks at Mpintsin and an integrated social centre at Effiakuma, the upgrading of infrastructure facilities at the Kokompe industrial enclave into a light industrial estate and urban management programme for Sekondi/Takoradi.
The GUMPP seeks to promote more effective urban governance in terms of strategic planning, local management and the internal organisation of local administration, as well as the planning, implementation and maintenance of local public investments.
The Social Investment Fund (SIF), sponsors of the Urban Poverty Reduction Project (UPRP), is currently evaluating 20 selected projects in the metropolis.
They include the construction of a shelter at Ngyiresia, the renovation of a meat shop and provision of cold storage facility, paving the harbour taxi rank, the construction of a shelter with office at Amanful, the construction of an abattoir, a kraal and cold store at Whindo, the construction of meat shop at Apremdo, a shelter at Sekondi beach area and paving the Sekondi beach area road.
Others are the provision of 12 refuse containers, the construction of refuse container platforms, paving the food section of the Apremdo market, the construction of a warehouse at Apremdo market, the rehabilitation of market stalls, fencing and lighting at Apremdo market and the construction of a six-unit classroom block at Adiembra-Anaisie primary school.
The rest are the construction of a six-unit classroom block each at Prophet Nkansah M/A Primary School, the AME Zion School at Mpintsin, at Essipon M/A Primary and the Anglican School at Kojokrom.
Speaking at the second meeting of the fourth session of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kobina Pra Annan, said on April 23, 2010, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the STMA and the Takoradi Steel Company with its foreign partners.
In furtherance to this, he said the company was on the verge of initiating a comprehensive framework for a Development Agreement to be negotiated.
“This will set a tone for the execution of what is termed ‘Jubilee City Projects’ which is a public-private partnership programme engineered by the Jubilee City Co-operation in collaboration with STMA”, he explained.
He said the redevelopment of the Takoradi Central Business District was on course and that the assembly was still awaiting a decisive response from the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing concerning the re-fund of money paid by occupants of the low-cost houses, to enable the STMA to take full possession of the site for a proposed investment.
Mr Annan said the assembly had also concluded negotiations with the Ghana Air Force and that issues were being sorted out with land owners and the Land Commission to enable the assembly to relocate artisans within the environs of the Jubilee Park to Kansaworodo, in order to make way for the construction of an ultra-modern shopping mall.
To this end, he added that an initial amount of GH¢25,000 had already been paid for plots of land at Kansaworodo.
“As l address you now, officials of Country Development Contracts Limited, the company that has proposed to re-build the Takoradi Central Market, are in town to survey areas for relocation of traders in order to produce drawings for work to begin”, he said.
Mr Annan said as a requirement for the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT), and in fulfilment of the Legislative Instrument setting up the assembly’s sub-structures, it was being recommended that renewal of temporary permits, property rate on individual households and on-street parking revenue items be ceded to the Sub-metropolis.
He said negotiations with the revenue collection and monitoring company, Messrs REVNET Limited, were still on-going.
He said at the invitation of the company, a six-member team from the STMA went on a study tour in Lagos, Nigeria in May this year to visit the partner operations of REVNET to enable the assembly to ascertain and confirm the benefits to be derived by their clients.
This, he explained, was to enable the assembly to verify the viability of the company’s use of electronic banking system of revenue cycle management.
Again, he said in June this year, a four-member team visited the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly which is already implementing REVNET’s proposal, for further verifications.
He noted that the project offered significant benefits and expressed the hope that the assembly would approve of it, so that “we can negotiate further on its implementation.”
Touching on revenue performance, Mr Annan said the assembly was expecting to collect GH¢2,386,130.40, this year.
He said as at June 30th, 2010, a total of GH¢ 1,202,989.97 had been collected, adding that it represented 50.4 per cent.
The Metro Chief Executive stressed that waste management continued to pose serious challenges to the assembly, adding that “the assembly needs to move for a full cost recovery of waste servicing in all parts of the metropolis.”
“I plan to propose a Waste Servicing Levy to be paid by all households in the metropolis. A meeting will be arranged with property owners to discuss the proposition later this year”, he added.
Mr Annan said through the Department of Urban Roads, the assembly had so far awarded contracts for filling potholes, grading, resealing, and routine monthly cleaning works as well as clearing and weeding in the metropolis.
He said the department had also submitted proposals on 17 different roads in the metropolis, to Accra for approval.
The funds are from the District Development Fund (DDF), the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP), the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and the Corporative Housing Foundation (CHF).
The assembly’s qualification for the DDF was based on the results of the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT) exercise conducted nationwide.
The results were that only the Western and Upper East regions recorded a 100 per cent performance to qualify for the 2009 investment projects under the District Development Fund.
The assembly has thus been given US$382,580.54 and it is in the process of finalising the preparation of sub-projects to be financed from the DDF for submission to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) received a capacity grant of GH¢19,000.00 in respect of the 2008 DDF and part of the amount has been used to procure office equipment for its planning unit.
The Corporative Housing Foundation (CHF), in collaboration with the STMA, has prepared a Poverty Profile Map for the metropolis.
The map shows the level of poverty in the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi for future interventions. The draft report has been validated by the assembly and is awaiting the finalised map.
The Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project (GUMPP) is being piloted in four cities across the country: Sekondi/Takoradi, Kumasi, Ho and Tamale and the total amount voted for the project is 40 million euros.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has proposed some sub-projects for implementation in the metropolis under the GUMPP.
The projects are the construction of a transit terminal for haulage trucks at Mpintsin and an integrated social centre at Effiakuma, the upgrading of infrastructure facilities at the Kokompe industrial enclave into a light industrial estate and urban management programme for Sekondi/Takoradi.
The GUMPP seeks to promote more effective urban governance in terms of strategic planning, local management and the internal organisation of local administration, as well as the planning, implementation and maintenance of local public investments.
The Social Investment Fund (SIF), sponsors of the Urban Poverty Reduction Project (UPRP), is currently evaluating 20 selected projects in the metropolis.
They include the construction of a shelter at Ngyiresia, the renovation of a meat shop and provision of cold storage facility, paving the harbour taxi rank, the construction of a shelter with office at Amanful, the construction of an abattoir, a kraal and cold store at Whindo, the construction of meat shop at Apremdo, a shelter at Sekondi beach area and paving the Sekondi beach area road.
Others are the provision of 12 refuse containers, the construction of refuse container platforms, paving the food section of the Apremdo market, the construction of a warehouse at Apremdo market, the rehabilitation of market stalls, fencing and lighting at Apremdo market and the construction of a six-unit classroom block at Adiembra-Anaisie primary school.
The rest are the construction of a six-unit classroom block each at Prophet Nkansah M/A Primary School, the AME Zion School at Mpintsin, at Essipon M/A Primary and the Anglican School at Kojokrom.
Speaking at the second meeting of the fourth session of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kobina Pra Annan, said on April 23, 2010, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the STMA and the Takoradi Steel Company with its foreign partners.
In furtherance to this, he said the company was on the verge of initiating a comprehensive framework for a Development Agreement to be negotiated.
“This will set a tone for the execution of what is termed ‘Jubilee City Projects’ which is a public-private partnership programme engineered by the Jubilee City Co-operation in collaboration with STMA”, he explained.
He said the redevelopment of the Takoradi Central Business District was on course and that the assembly was still awaiting a decisive response from the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing concerning the re-fund of money paid by occupants of the low-cost houses, to enable the STMA to take full possession of the site for a proposed investment.
Mr Annan said the assembly had also concluded negotiations with the Ghana Air Force and that issues were being sorted out with land owners and the Land Commission to enable the assembly to relocate artisans within the environs of the Jubilee Park to Kansaworodo, in order to make way for the construction of an ultra-modern shopping mall.
To this end, he added that an initial amount of GH¢25,000 had already been paid for plots of land at Kansaworodo.
“As l address you now, officials of Country Development Contracts Limited, the company that has proposed to re-build the Takoradi Central Market, are in town to survey areas for relocation of traders in order to produce drawings for work to begin”, he said.
Mr Annan said as a requirement for the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT), and in fulfilment of the Legislative Instrument setting up the assembly’s sub-structures, it was being recommended that renewal of temporary permits, property rate on individual households and on-street parking revenue items be ceded to the Sub-metropolis.
He said negotiations with the revenue collection and monitoring company, Messrs REVNET Limited, were still on-going.
He said at the invitation of the company, a six-member team from the STMA went on a study tour in Lagos, Nigeria in May this year to visit the partner operations of REVNET to enable the assembly to ascertain and confirm the benefits to be derived by their clients.
This, he explained, was to enable the assembly to verify the viability of the company’s use of electronic banking system of revenue cycle management.
Again, he said in June this year, a four-member team visited the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly which is already implementing REVNET’s proposal, for further verifications.
He noted that the project offered significant benefits and expressed the hope that the assembly would approve of it, so that “we can negotiate further on its implementation.”
Touching on revenue performance, Mr Annan said the assembly was expecting to collect GH¢2,386,130.40, this year.
He said as at June 30th, 2010, a total of GH¢ 1,202,989.97 had been collected, adding that it represented 50.4 per cent.
The Metro Chief Executive stressed that waste management continued to pose serious challenges to the assembly, adding that “the assembly needs to move for a full cost recovery of waste servicing in all parts of the metropolis.”
“I plan to propose a Waste Servicing Levy to be paid by all households in the metropolis. A meeting will be arranged with property owners to discuss the proposition later this year”, he added.
Mr Annan said through the Department of Urban Roads, the assembly had so far awarded contracts for filling potholes, grading, resealing, and routine monthly cleaning works as well as clearing and weeding in the metropolis.
He said the department had also submitted proposals on 17 different roads in the metropolis, to Accra for approval.
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