KMA to establish ten recreational centres in the metropolis

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports is to set up ten recreational centres, which will double as children's parks in the metropolis.

Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), who announced this, said it was part of efforts to support the needy, especially the troubled youth, mentally ill and the disabled.

Addressing a meeting of the KMA, he said funds would also be earmarked for skills and employable training programmes for the troubled youth and disabled in the metropolis.

Mr Jumah said there was the urgent need to restructure the administrative set up of the Assembly to eliminate all procedural bottlenecks to enhance efficiency.

"We intend to pursue vigorously the computerisation and networking programme of the assembly to ensure faster service delivery and make Internet access for the staff and the other members of the assembly.

This will improve dramatically our efficiency while at the same time enhance our revenue collection", he added.

Mr Jumah said the 24 town councils and the 405 unit committees in the metropolis would be inaugurated soon after the four sub-district councils had been inaugurated.

"All these sub-structures constitute the critical building blocks of development for the assembly and streamlining their management and operations are therefore, going to be very crucial to the reduction in waste and corruption in the city, in addition to enhancing the accelerated development of the metropolis", he said.

Mr Jumah tasked the assembly members to commit themselves to the strict compliance of the various provisions enshrined in Act 462 and Legislative Instrument (LI) 1614 so that they do not stray into the administrative purviews of others.

He regretted that all the sidewalks and pavements in the metropolis have been taken over by hawkers and street vendors with impunity.

The MCE called for the review of the byelaws of the assembly to update the fines and sanctions for offenders, adding that most of the laws were made at a time the cedi was of low value and the sanctions applied, now made no sense.

Mr Jumah said strengthening the operational and monitoring capabilities of the Development Control Office of the assembly is a programme that would be pursued vigorously to check the alarming rate of unauthorised developments in the city.

As part of the restructuring, the MCE said it is the intention of the assembly to streamline the policy to build, operate and transfer projects in the city.

"Tenants of such projects will also sign formal leases with KMA, spelling out the rights and responsibilities of tenants vis-?-vis KMA", he said.

Dr Edward Prempeh, Presiding Member of the assembly, called for effective collaboration among members in all their endeavours to enhance the rapid development of the city.

He asked the Department of Town and Country Planning to reserve open spaces for artisans in the metropolis as they do to other professions.