Accra, June 28, GNA - The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment says it is working with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to screen and streamline the operations and management of waste collection and its disposal through contracting of services to competent and viable waste management companies. Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, said this when he was answering questions in Parliament on Thursday. He admitted that Accra being the nerve centre of the country has the highest pressure in terms of waste generation making waste collection a difficult problem. He was answering a question in the name of Nii Amasah Namoale, NDC-Dade Kotopon as to when the AMA will be asked to remove illegal structures from both sides of the Giffard Road (37 to the T-Junction) in the La Dade Kotopong constituency.
He was however, not happy that the AMA is unable to generate enough revenue to cater for the situation, adding that in this direction, the AMA is being supported through support from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning through the use of HIPC funds from time to time. In overcoming the perennial money shortages, Mr Asamoah Boateng noted that district assemblies are mandated by law to levy sufficient rates, fees and licenses to obtain funds for its programmes and projects and urged the Assembly to use its annual fee-fixing resolution to enable it generate enough revenue to carry out this responsibility.
Answering Mr. John Agyabeng, NDC, Agona East's question on when the proposed composite budgeting at the district level will be operationalised, the Minister said all the Ministries, Municipalities, Departments and Agencies are to implement the procedure by 2008. "The training of all budget and planning officers in the preparation of composite budget and strategic plan within the MTEF Framework has been completed," adding that a circular will soon be issued, setting out the modalities for the operationalisation of the composite budgeting." On Nii Amasah Namoale's concern as to when the AMA would be asked to remove all the illegal structures from the Giffard Road, on the 37-Military Hospital to T-Junction in the La Dade Kotopon constituency, Mr. Asamoah Boateng said the goal of a healthy city is the Ministry's goal.
"The Ministry intends to achieve this and it is in this direction that, for the past three years, the AMA has intensified its policy to remove all illegal structures." He gave the assurance that the removal of illegal structures on the said road is on-going and will be ready soon. On the rehabilitation of the La Dade Kotopon Market, Mr. Asamoah-Boateng said it has been split into two with the first phase, which started in 2004 complete at a total cost of 703.265 million cedis with 90 sheds.
The second phase would commence as soon as allocation of the 90 sheds is done and the old structure is vacated.
