The Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region has set an 18-month completion target for the construction of a new 24-hour market as part of efforts to address congestion and improve trading conditions in the municipality.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Christian Tetteh Badger, said the project had been handed over to the contractor following the successful clearing of the site, with construction expected to progress within the stipulated period.
According to him, the market project was being developed on a government-owned site that previously housed a terminal, and the Assembly had worked to clear the land and make it available for construction.
“I want to announce to the people of Ghana that within eighteen months we’ll be finishing the project as scheduled,” Mr Badger said.
Speaking in an interview with NR NEWS in Parliament House, he explained that the project was particularly important to the municipality because of the congestion associated with commercial activities in areas such as Lapaz and Achimota.
Mr Badger said the Assembly was working with the area’s Members of Parliament to ensure that the project progressed despite the challenges associated with its implementation.
He said the Assembly had also taken measures to improve sanitation, particularly in Lapaz, where refuse collection had been intensified.
“When we took office, Okaikwei North was in a dire situation in terms of sanitation and congestion at Lapaz and Achimota Neoplan,” he said.
He noted that the Assembly had introduced a twice-daily refuse collection system in Lapaz, with collection undertaken in the morning and evening.
Mr Badger said the intervention had significantly improved sanitation in the area, while the Assembly continued to engage service providers and communities to sustain the gains.
Roads and drainage
On the municipality’s road challenges, the MCE said the Assembly had been using the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) machines to reshape and grade inner roads in several communities.
He mentioned Achimota, Akweteyman, Kisseman, Tesano and Alogboshie among areas that had benefited from the road maintenance interventions.
He said the Assembly was also engaging the central government to secure support for the construction and asphalting of major roads in the municipality.
Mr Badger said the Assembly was complementing road interventions with regular desilting and dislodging of drains to reduce the risk of flooding.
He added that the Assembly had also been evacuating refuse heaps and undertaking public education campaigns to improve sanitation.
Education and health
Mr Badger said education and healthcare had also received attention during his tenure.
He said the Assembly had renovated some school blocks, supplied furniture to schools and supported the Municipal Education Directorate with teaching and learning materials.
In healthcare, he said the Assembly had provided logistics and medical supplies to health facilities, including CHPS compounds and health centres, while also organising health screening exercises for residents.
Security and revenue
On security, the MCE said the Assembly was working closely with the police and other security agencies through the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC).
He said the Assembly had also provided logistical support to assist security agencies in maintaining peace and security within the municipality.
Mr Badger said the Assembly’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF) was improving as a result of measures to expand the revenue base, block leakages and introduce technology into revenue collection.
He expressed confidence that the Assembly would meet its revenue target by the end of the year.
Okaikwei North, which was carved out of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, is among the municipalities in the Greater Accra Region facing pressures associated with rapid urbanisation, including congestion, sanitation, drainage and road infrastructure challenges.
By: Christian Kpesese
