Solomon Appiah speaking with the media after the meeting
THE DISTRICT Chief Executive (DCE) for Kpone-Katamansu District Assembly in the Greater Accra Region, Solomon Appiah, has advocated the elevation of the district to a municipal status.
According to him, the requisite conditions for upgrading of a place from District to Municipal Status, exit in the district.
He added that classification criteria and the threshold population for a Municipality have been exceeded in the area.
Mr. Appiah made these assertions during the General Assembly Meeting, held at the Kpone.
He stated that, the 2010 population and housing census in the district, recorded 114,617 people, with a projected annual growth rate of 29%, which exceeds the threshold of 95,000 people for Municipalities.
He was however of the view that, the population pattern of the district has even gone beyond the single compact settlement to Cosmopolitan in nature, with varied ethnic groups and densely populated communities.
According to the DCE, due to the low placement of the area as a district, a lot of benefits have been denied the people whilst, neighbours in the adjourning communities were considered.
He cited the Urban Development Grant (UDG) and Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) projects implemented by the Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies only as one of the benefits the Assembly is losing although it qualifies for it.
“The World Bank is also assisting the same Assemblies to implement their street naming and property addressing programmes to the disadvantage of the district “, he bemoaned.
According to him, ironically, the needs and challenges of the Kpone-Katamansu District surpass that of most of the Municipalities.
Mr Appiah added that, it is in view of this that the District is poised to begin the quest for the upgrade to a Municipal status.
He however, used the medium to call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Council of State Member for the Greater Accra Region, to lobby for the elevation of the district.
He also appealed to the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, to lobby Parliament to give its fullest backing to the demand when the matter is laid on the floor of the house for deliberation.
From Bernard Aryee, Kpone-Katamanso