Nana Chairman, distinguished Ladies, and gentlemen, STMA in 2018 again started another city-to-city relationship with Palermo Municipality through the instrumentality of
Ghana’s former Ambassador to the Republic of Italy & Former Upper East Regional Minister who was born and bred in Kweikuma - Adiembra, Ms. Paulina Patience Abayage
and the Honorary Consulate of Ghana in Palermo, Mr. Francesco Campagna.
As a daughter of the city, Ms. Paulina initiated the move following her working visit to an Italian medical ship which had berthed at Sekondi Naval Base to provide
free medical care in 2018. The former Ambassador did everything possible for the twinning of the two cities whilst in office. Her effort was vigorously pursued by her successor,
late Ambassador Mrs. Eudora Hilda Quartey Koranteng who drafted my good self to issue the commendation letter in support of the agreement when I visited Italy on an Investment tour.
H.E. Eudora Koranteng together with the late Hon. Anthony K. K. Sam, the Letter of Intent was signed in 2019 at a short ceremony in Palermo.
The late Ambassador Mrs. Eudora Quartey Koranteng participated in the virtual signing of the twinning agreement on Thursday 22nd July, 2021, with the MCE Issah Mumin
but sadly she passed-on few weeks later.
Ladies and Gentlemen, considering their various contributions towards our gathering here this morning, I plead that we all
stand for a moment of silence in honour of the late Ambassador Mrs. Eudora Hilda Quartey Koranteng and Hon. Anthony K. K. Sam.
Western Region want to be a model region of Ghana based on entrepreneurial governance, Enterprise Western Region & SDG + Youth. This has guided our Assemblies
medium term development framework through a series of marathon meetings at the Western Regional Coordinating Council.
Nana Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, following the approval of the Assembly’s current (2022-2025) Medium Term Development Plan last year, management has been focusing
on mobilizing the needed funds to complement the expected central government support to implement the city’s medium-term plans. It was therefore in this light that
the Assembly tasked a team to link up with the sister-city, Palermo and other partners to develop and submit a proposal for the European Union’s global call on
“Local Authorities Partnerships for Sustainable Cities Programme” which was opened early last year
In testament to the quality of STMA and its partners proposal, it was selected for a grant of Three Million Euros (€3,000,000.00) to implement interventions
aimed at improving urban management, fostering transnational cooperation, and enhancing socio-economic development through employment creation and the generation
of value for the local economy from the cultural heritage of Sekondi-Takoradi & Palermo.
The various activities to be implemented under the project have been grouped under three main clusters namely;
1. Multi-Level Urban Governance,
2. Culturally Sensitive and Inclusive Urban Strategies, as well as
3. Urban Climate Change Resilience. More importantly, the Assembly took into consideration its 2022-2025 medium-term target which seeks to
“improve the quality of life of the people in the Metropolis within a public-private partnership growth environment and reducing poverty by
expanding opportunities for all” to set the activities to be implemented under the project
It can therefore be said that every intervention to be delivered under this project is expected to help achieve the Assembly’s medium-term plan overall focus of
building a prosperous society, creating equal opportunities, for wealth creation, safeguarding the natural environment, and ensuring a resilient built environment.
Undoubtedly, Ladies and Gentlemen, the expected benefits from the project to the people in the Metropolis and beyond; especially the teeming unemployed youth,
vulnerable, deprived, and marginalized groups, are enormous. Ultimately, the project is aimed at enhancing urban management to address the challenges such as
the negative effect of urban sprawl, climate change, unemployment and preparedness to battle infectious disease outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic etc.
Nana Chairman, please kindly permit me at this juncture to commend the project team who tirelessly worked to achieve this feat for the good people of Sekondi-Takoradi
and Palermo.
Indeed, their commitments to the development and implementation of the project are phenomenal. Nana Chairman, I wish to place on record that globally,
Sekondi-Takoradi Metro Assembly was the only applicant, among 7 other applicants, to submit its own proposal application and was selected under the call.
This is a feat we all must commend the STMA team for chalking. Special shout out to Hon. Mumin Issah for guiding the team. The Assembly is committed to
continue pursuing all legally available funds from the private sector and multinational donors across the globe to transform the Metropolis.
To this end, the Assembly is in the process of organizing an Investment Fair to showcase the investment potential in the Twin-City to local and international investors
for possible partnerships. It is an undeniable fact that the era of Assemblies solely depending on allocations from District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for provision
of needed social amenities and infrastructural developments are over. STMA is gradually making itself attractive in doing business with any proper interested partner to
turn around the fortunes of Sekondi-Takoradi in our time.
H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government has been kind to the people of Sekondi-Takoradi with the provision of landmark projects such as the ongoing redevelopment
of Takoradi Market Circle and the Kwame Nkrumah roundabout into a three-tier interchange and upgrade the Effia Nkwanta Hospital to a Teaching hospital.
The contractor for the redevelopment of Sekondi-Takoradi and other selected roads, including the Construction of Interchange at Paa Grant roundabout,
is expected to start full work this year after marking all structures to be affected by the project. Additionally, provision has also been made in
the 2022 budget for the reconstruction of Sekondi Market.
As the Minister responsible for the region, I will continue to champion the course of attracting the needed investment and monumental projects across the region.
I equally wish to use this platform to encourage all other Municipal and District Assemblies in the region to learn from STMA’s experience to attract other
sources of funds outside central government’s support to bring the needed development in their areas.
Once again, I wish to welcome you all for responding to our invitation to join us this morning. Thank you all very much for your attention.
God Bless Us all