Agona Swedru (C/R)-Ghana, Dec. 07, GNA – The Agona West Municipal Assembly has held a town hall meeting to account to stakeholders on development projects so far undertaken in the Area.
The meeting formed part of efforts to deepen local governance and afford stakeholders the opportunity to make contributions and suggestions targeted at the development of the Municipality.
It was attended among others by Assembly members, heads of Department, Drug store operators Association, Ghana Taylors and Dressmakers Association, Artisans, Garages, Market Queens Association and Driver Unions.
Mr Evans Addison Onomah Coleman, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Agona West, enumerated programmes and projects the Assembly had undertaken in the past year and new projects planned to be executed next year.
On education, the MCE said the Assembly for the past year, presented dual desks, tables and chairs to Senior and Junior High schools in the Municipality.
He disclosed that it had also constructed new blocks and rehabilitated existing structures to enhance quality teaching and learning.
To improve health care delivery, the Assembly as part of efforts to encourage more doctors to accept postings to the Municipality, constructed bungalows and handed them over to the health directorate.
Mr Coleman said to make life better for People with Disability (PWD) the percentage of the District Assembly Common Fund had been disbursed to acquire wheelchairs and other valuable items to PWDs.
The MCE said the Assembly was among 25 Assemblies selected out of 261 MMDAs nationwide for excellent performance in its operations and therefore benefited from Ghana Secondary City Support Programme (GSCSP) of the World Bank.
The Assembly had, therefore, received a World Bank loan facilitated by the government under the Ghana Secondary City Support Programme and it would be used to undertake projects, including the construction of 180 lockable stores at Swedru Mandela Market to improve trade and commercial activities in the Municipality.
The MCE hinted that part of the funds would also be used to expand Mandela market structures to create more space, for daily market instead of two days a week.
He said the Assembly had decided to use part of the World Bank facility to construct some major town roads to reduce heavy traffic congestion which occurred in the central business district on market days.
He mentioned some of the roads to be constructed, include K.E. Junction to Pipe Tank, Alhmadiyya Hospital to Pipe Tank/Zongo and Pipe Tank/ Christ the King Preparatory School roads.
Mr Coleman announced that decongestion exercise would be carried out at the back of Swedru Central market road where some traders have displayed their wares to block the road linking Swedru/Dwenho to main Swedru/ Awutu Bawjiase trunk road making it unmotorable.
The MCE appealed to all stakeholders, especially politicians, not to politicise the exercise to ensure its success and to help maintain the beauty of Municipality.
Nana Kweku Esieni V, Regent of Agona Swedru, who presided over the meeting, urged the people in the town to respond to calls of the Assembly to account for its stewardship to help develop the Area.
He bemoaned the negative perception people had about the operations of the Assembly, especially on the collection of fees and tolls, adding that it was an opportunity for them to demand answers from the Management of the Assembly.
Nana Esieni assured Management of the Assembly that the Swedruman Council would support any decision that would bring development and transformation into the lives of the people.
