Kintampo to receive World Bank support

Accra, March 10, GNA - The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is collaborating with the World Bank to formulate a comprehensive Urban Policy to guide the development of the country's urban communities.

Such a policy would be geared towards employment creation and the general improvement in the lives of the people in urban areas. The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Abraham Dwuma Odoom announced this when he inaugurated the 27-member Kintampo Urban Council and inaugurated a 380 million-cedi office complex of the Kintampo North District Assembly in the Brong-Ahafo Region, a statement the Ministry issued in Accra on Thursday said.

Mr Odoom said the Ministry was also collaborating with financial institutions to build a transport terminal at Kintampo.

He noted that the move was to avoid the numerous accidents and inconveniences that reckless parking caused to the travelling public. The Deputy Minister said it was a challenge to members of the Council to work hard to improve the lot of the people and charged them to ensure that the town was properly planned.

Mr Odoom called for the co-operation and support of all interest groups in the town to enable the Council to work effectively. He announced that Kintampo North District had been selected as one of the 24 districts to benefit from the first phase of the Millennium Challenge Accounts.

In a welcoming address the District Chief Executive, Mr Razak Abdulai expressed the happiness and thanks of the people to government for upgrading Kintampo Town Council to Urban status.

He said the town had a high growth rate because of its central location on Kumasi-Tamale highway that made it very attractive to people from all walks of life.

Mr Abdulai underlined some development programmes initiated by the Council to include intensifying revenue mobilisation and communal spirit.

He enumerated some achievements of the Council since the last seven years as raising funds to support Kintampo water and market projects, which were co-financed by the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, renovation of Kintampo Community Centre, mobilisation of the people for monthly and quarterly cleanup exercises and construction of tollbooth at the Sawaba Lorry Park.

Mr Jacob Amoako Adoesom, an Assemblyman and Chairman of the Market Management Committee, chaired the function.