Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah, the Korle-Klottey Municipal Chief Executive, has said the Assembly has put in measures to ensure proper implementation of its policies on developmental activities.
He said the Assembly was going to devise a Local Economic Development Strategy, which would focus on promoting skills development, apprenticeship training, and aiding in the formalisation of informal businesses.
Speaking at the General Assembly Meeting, the MCE said the Assembly would develop a Business Investment Profile to market economic potentials in the Municipality for investment, with emphasis on the tourism and fisheries sector.
“In order to ensure absolute success of this initiative, a focal point has been created to coordinate all Local Economic Development initiatives in the Assembly,” he said.
Mr Tawiah said revenue performance had been relatively low as a result of inadequate funds from the Central Government and expressed the hope that funds, which were pending would be released to improve the Assembly’s financial stand.
He said the total expenditure of the Assembly, as compared to revenue, was high, attributing it to high service demands that was peculiar to the Assembly due to its strategic position as well as the need to offer municipal services in areas such as sanitation and drain maintenance.
“As part of the Assembly’s medium term development plan, management is liaising with the Lands Commission to identify parcels of land, which could be acquired compulsorily for various projects within the Municipality,” Mr Tawiah said.
He called on members to help identify all government lands in their electoral areas to be registered for future development.
Mr Tawiah said the Assembly’s intention was to renovate more schools in Osu to promote teaching and learning and improve performance, adding that funds had been allocated for the construction of an Education Office Complex to support the operation and management of schools in the Municipality.
He said efforts had also been made to secure a new parcel of land for the construction of a fish market in Osu after initial attempts failed.
“I am particularly excited about this project because apart from the revenue to the Assembly, it will also create more jobs for the teeming youth in the fishing industry,” he added.
On sanitation, Mr Tawiah said bye-laws were being enforced to prosecute offenders, however, there had been tremendous improvement in recent times as a result of efforts made by the Urban Roads Department and Environmental Health Unit.”
He lauded the efforts of the Municipal Environment Health Officer in ensuring the prosecution of offenders.
“We intend to do more by having discussions with the Judicial Service to designate two days within every week solely for sanitation related issues. We are optimistic that our sanitation situation will improve when we are successful,” he said.
The MCE said the Assembly was also working towards instituting a Sanitation Improvement Award Scheme to revive self-help communal service for sanitation service delivery, where the various electoral areas would be provided with the requisite sanitary tools to deliver on their mandate.
While noting that security in the Municipality was relatively good, Mr Tawiah advised the Assembly members to take responsibility of their own security, saying; “security is everybody’s responsibility and I entreat all of us to ensure that we collectively defend and protect the peace we are enjoying here”.
On the upcoming Homowo Festival, he said the Assembly was taking initiatives to ensure a successful celebration.
Other projects include construction of roads, decongestion exercises, and institution of award schemes for hardworking staff to fast-track development.