Urban planning programme underway at Ejura

Ejura (Ash), Sept 6, GNA- The German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as well as the Town and Country Planning Department, are undertaking a pilot project on participatory urban planning (PUP) in two districts in Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions.

The project, which is being undertaken in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi and Kintampo districts, is aimed at involving all stakeholders in the communities in the planning process to ensure orderly and proper physical development of the areas.

A forum was held on Friday at Ejura to brief the new National Director of the Town and Country Planning Department, Mr Edward Karbo on the activities and the achievements of the project, which started about two years ago.

Mr Karbo said the current planning system denied traditional rulers, land owners and developers as well as opinion leaders, the opportunity to make contributions to the planning process. This he said contributed significantly to the current haphazard physical developments in urban towns and cities.

He said the department under its institutions reforms, was developing a new approach to involve all stakeholders in the planning process to ensure proper physical development in the towns and cities. Mr Karbo said the outcome of the pilot project will be factored into the new towns and country planning laws and urged the participating communities to work hard to ensure that the project succeeded so that it could be replicated in other districts.

He appealed to districts, which shared borders with metropolitan assemblies to control physical development especially in the peri-urban towns to avoid haphazard developments, which was currently creating problems for city managers.

Mr Karbo visited the Owabi catchment area near Abrepo and the garages sites at Santasi, which have been encroached upon by private land developers.