STORY BY INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT

The Physical Planning Department of Ga Central Municipal Assembly has organized a stakeholder’s engagement on the Sowutuom local plan with the Sowutuom community on Sunday, 30th October, 2022.
The objective of the meeting was to basically project the provisional local plan for the Sowutuom electoral area for onward acceptance by the stakeholders.
In view of this, a meeting was organized by the Physical Planning Department and the MCE in collaboration with Hon. Abdallah Shuaib William, Assembly man for Sowutuom electoral area at Christ Preachers Church.
Also in attendance were Unit Committee Members, residents Association Chairperson and members, Opinion leaders and residents from that electoral area.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Mohammed Bashiru Kamara thanked all participants for honoring the invitation. In his submission, he told members the purpose of the gatherin is to meet stakeholders of Sowutuom and finalize a local plan for the area.
Hon. Kamara made it clear that Sowutuom is one of the notable areas within the Municipality. He urged members to contribute to the agenda so that the Assembly can come out with a good document to serve their developmental challenges.
Mr. Isaac Kyei Baffour, the Assistant Town Planning Officer began a presentation by stating the role of the physical planning department in the development of Sowutuom community. He said that physical planning with the help of the other departments ensures that physical developments obtain necessary permits from the Assembly. Also, they undertake the preparation of local planning layout to guide development which follows the planning standards and principles.
The composite local plan which is to be introduced is an integration of two or more local plans to become a single local plan. Mr. Baffour emphasized that in as much as this is to be introduced in these areas some challenges like ensuring compactible land uses within the built-up area, protection of the streams and water bodies in the planning area needs to be addressed.

Mr. Baffour went further to enlighten them on how land permit can be obtained and stated that one should present an evidence of authorization, building drawing, side plan and geographical instructional integrity. He emphasized that the later relates to the strength of the building and how it needs to checked before permit is given.
Mr. Baffour again stated that the various stakeholders present have a role to play in the implementation of the composite plan. Ga Central Municipal Assembly as a main stakeholder must ensure that incompatible land users are dealt with and strict compliance will be put up when the composite local plan is approved. Aside that the traditional authorities must obtain development planning permit from the assembly and also report unauthorized physical developments happening within the local planning area to the Assembly.

CONCERNS FROM STAKEHOLDERS

• 1. No drains in the community causing flood when it rains.
• 2. Bad nature of road.
• 3. Dilapidated bridges.
• 4. No sign post for directions.
• 5. No station available to loading passengers.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Hon. Mohammed Bashiru Kamara emphasized that a resolution has been passed to check buildings on roads and pathway for drains. He said all structures in those areas will be pulled down. Hon. Kamara then stressed on the context of Patriotism and Nationalism and stated that stakeholders should endeavor to report victims who build at unauthorized places thus buildings on road and drainage areas.

The Assembly member for the area, Hon. Abdallah Shuaib William addressing the gathering said the community is grateful to the Assembly for taking steps to address their developmental challenges. Concluding his speech, he was hopeful that the MCE would hasten the demolition of buildings blocking the pathways in the electoral area to allow the free flow of water which causes flood when it rains.
Miss Mary Dagbah, the Municipal Director for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), spoke on the need to pay Business Operating Permit (BOP), property rates and others taxes.
She began her presentation by highlighting on revenue and its importance. She said, revenue cannot be exempted in our community because revenue generates funds to help develop our community and the Assembly as a whole.
The NCCE Director also stated that participants should keep their surroundings clean so as to avoid diseases like cholera, malaria etc. She also told participants to take Operation Clean Your Frontage very serious and do their possible best to keep their frontage clean such that they should make dustbins available at vantage points so that rubbish can be put inside instead of littering it anywhere. Doing this she said will keep us healthy and away from communicable diseases.

The Deputy Director for Agriculture, Mr. Francis Mensah began his presentation by emphasizing that there are diversities of agricultural practices in the city which includes poultry, ruminants, irrigated vegetable, mushroom, floriculture, domesticated wildlife and many others. Ga Central Municipal he said, functions to give technical backstopping and knowledge in Agriculture and Agric-related activities in a modernized method.
The Municipality he stated gives a comparative advantage of proximity to the airport and harbor than many other Assemblies considering how close it is to large supermarkets situated outside the Municipality hence the need to situate a super market in the Ga Central Municipality to readily sell their produce at their fresh state.
Mr. Mensah said the expected outcomes will be urban agriculture becoming more recognized as an important economic activity and a legitimate form of urban land use. He also mentioned that as an agriculture department they have various feeds for rearing animals which will in turn generate an income hence he encouraged all sundry to take part.

Hon. Bashiru Kamara after the meeting spoke to the media. In his speech, he said that it is of demand by law as a leader to visit your people from time to time in order to know their developmental challenges and find ways to address them hence the motive behind organizing community engagements. He stated the meeting was purposely to take inputs on the already developed local plan for the community and come to consensus. As already highlighted above, he mentioned that participants were sensitized on the local plan before making a final decision.
He mentioned that these community engagements organized helps to know the problem facing each electoral area of which they are taken into consideration to address them. He spoke about the action taken after the community engagements done so far. The dredging done at Olebu to stop the flood was one of them and several other. Also he spoke the one electoral area one fish pond as one project in session and emphasized on how it will help in the Local Economic Development within the municipality. He concluded that majority of the projects are in the pipeline and assured community members that plans are far advanced so everyone should be at ease.