Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area to be created

Kumasi, May 24, GNA - The Government is to roll out a 93mega-city project", to properly coordinate and manage the growth and development of Kumasi and six outlying districts.

As part of the project, a Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area, which would cover Afigya Kwabre, Kwabre East, Bosomtwe, Atwima Kwanwoma, Ejisu-Juaben and Atwima Nwabiagya Districts, would be created.


Under this, a hierarchy of urban centres with specially assigned functions would be established.


Mr Magnus Lincoln Quarshie, Team Leader of Integrated Transport Planning Limited (UK), consultants, who would handle the project, disclosed these to GNA in Kumasi on Monday.


He said the project would also ensure the creation of growth points as counter magnets to the fast and disproportionate growth in the size of Kumasi, enhance opportunity for quick and less costly provision of infrastructure, and increase investments in all sectors within the planned area.


Mr Quarshie said a spatial development framework and structural plan was underway for the project to begin by July this year with funding from the Japanese Government.

He said opinion leaders and Government officials in the beneficiary districts had received comprehensive briefing on the project, at a stakeholders' forum.


Mr Quarshie noted that the boundaries of Kumasi and the surrounding districts had virtually merged due to rapid urban development.


He said, consequently, many infrastructure developments were taking place without regard to spatial linkages between the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the neighbouring assemblies.


Mr Quarshie said it was important to ensure that physical planning conformed to the country's newly developed spatial planning model.


Mr Paa Kwesi Simmons, Kumasi Metro Planning Officer, said the project when complete would significantly help to ease congestion in Kumasi and improve the transportation network and facilitate traffic flow.