Dan Kwaku Botwe, Justina Owusu Awo Banahene and Mawerehene of Dormaa cutting the sod for the commencement of one of the projects
AS PART of efforts by the government to improve lives of urban dwellers through provision of infrastructure and services, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Dan Kwaku Botwe, last Friday cut sod for construction of various development projects in three municipalities of Sunyani, Dormaa Ahenkro and Berekum in Bono Region.
The projects under Secondary Cities Projects and financed by the World Bank through Urban Development Grants (UDG) of ¢245 million will improve urban management and provide basic services in the participating municipalities. It is also to improve the quality of urban infrastructure and services.
As a result, the local government minister, Dan Botwe supported by Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Awo Banahene and chiefs from Dormaa Ahenkro, Berekum, and Sunyani last Friday broke grounds to begin the construction of a two-storey 56 lockable stores, 14-unit market stalls, sanitary block (toilet), mechanised borehole, crèche, water storage facility, fire hydrant, streetlights and pavement of market space for the people of Dormaa Ahenkro.
The Berekum Municipality gets pavement of markets, traffic lights, streetlights and market stores, and Sunyani, which is in its third phase of implementation, adds construction of 500m storm drains at Sunyani Zongo, Abetifi and construction of 1.4km road from Sunyani Jubilee Park to Petral Hotel.
Addressing chiefs and people of the various cities before the sod cutting, Mr. Botwe disclosed that government saw the need to provide more infrastructure and services to improve the lives of people in urban communities.
“The projects are also part of government’s decentralisation agenda under the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development to bring development to the doorsteps of the people,” he stated.
He explained further, “These are not projects that commence and stall, but shall be completed within a period of 12 months, with some ready for commissioning between six and eight months.”
Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, acknowledged that the first phase of the projects have impacted positively on the lives of the people, and expressed excitement on the commencement of the second and third phases.
She implored the contractors working on the projects to employ local skilled labour in execution of the projects.
The Mawerehene of Dormaa Traditional Area, Nana Sampong Siaw, said the people of Dormaa Ahenkro are happy with the government for the numerous projects including roads, rice milling factory and hospitals that have sprung in the municipality.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Dormaa Ahenkro