Property and street naming to increase revenue – AMA

Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, says implementation of the street naming and property exercise in the metropolis would enable utility concessionaires to manage their network more effectively and collect revenue.

It would also increase Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) revenue and improve urban development management.

Dr Vanderpuije was speaking at a day’s public forum to exhibit the implementation status of street naming and property addressing system in the metropolis.

He said: “As the city of Accra has confronted this demographic explosion, urban management has become more challenging,”

“Systems for identifying streets, buildings and plots have simply been unable to keep up with the pace of urbanisation in the city of Accra.

“As a result, 70 per cent or more of the streets in Accra have no names or addresses, and the problem is particularly acute in the poorest neighbourhood.”

The AMA Chief Executive said no one today could foresee the quandary in which Accra would find itself in 20 to 30 years’ time if efforts were not made to have a proper street addressing system in place.

He said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has developed National Policy Framework and Operational guidelines on street naming and property address systems.

Dr Vanderpuije said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in line with the directive by President John Dramani Mahama to all MMDAs to name all streets and houses in their areas, AMA scaled up the implementation of its own initiative within its jurisdiction through the Urban Management Land Information System .

He said the World Bank supported the street naming project through the second phase of the Land Administration Project with 3.6 million dollars to enable the MMDAs complete the street naming exercise successfully.

He said so far 4,280 streets have been assigned names, while 74,773 properties numbered and 174 pilot signages have also mounted in five communities, Ministries, James Town, Korle Dudor, Ussher Town and Accra Central.

Nii Osa Mills, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, said children are leaders of change and urged them to take the street naming seriously.

He commended the AMA for completing the directives by the President, adding that street naming is crucial for a number of things including law and order and enhancement of security.