Members of the Sekondi-Takoradi General Assembly held the 3rd ordinary meeting of the first session of the ninth General Assembly to discuss pertinent issues for the development of Sekondi-Takoradi. In his welcome address, the Hon. Presiding Member, Eugene Ofori-Atta, noted the need for unity ahead of the general elections. He passionately prevailed upon Hon. Members to eschew all bitterness and engage in healthy dialogue on issues to promote unity. He indicated the need for honourable members to support the Assembly initiatives, adding that their endearing involvement would foster the growth of their electoral areas and the entire Metropolis. He hinted that the last clean-up exercise organized in the Metropolis yielded remarkable results. Our collective efforts will reflect on commitment to a cleaner, healthier and more vibrant environment that embodies our shared values and pride. Let us continue working together to maintain this momentum and foster a culture of cleanliness and civic responsibility, he added.

He pointed out that the Assembly, based on the recommendation of the Education Sub Committee, decided to support some persons who excelled in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to the second cycle school to make their dreams of pursuing higher education possible. In his sessional address, the mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, Hon. Abdul-Mumin Issah, indicated that the STMA, in partnership with the Open Government Support Unit and Citywide Settlement Upgrading Fund (STMA-CSUF), had successfully co-created a 6-year WASH Strategic Plan with the active involvement of CSOs, traditional authorities, community leaders and other identifiable groups facilitated by a consultant, TREND. This initiative was made possible through grant funding from the OGP Multi-Donor Trust Fund by the World Bank. He explained that the WASH strategic plan seeks to address the disparities and challenges of communities accessing clean water, adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities, which are foundational to public health and socio-economic development. According to Hon. Issah, the WASH Strategic Plan aims to leverage interdisciplinary collaborations and adopt both top-down and bottom-up approaches to create resilient, inclusive, and sustainable WASH services tailored to the needs of low-income and informal communities within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

Updating members on the District Road Infrastructure Programme (DRIP), the MCE pointed out that the Assembly had taken delivery of 20 vehicles and equipment for the programme. These are 3 Motor Graders, 2 Rollers, 2 Water Tankers, 2 Backhoe, 4 Tipper Trucks, 6 Concrete Mixers and 1 Wheel Loader. He mentioned that works are ongoing on the Mpintsin to Eshiem road and prevailed upon members to support the programme to ensure a speedy transformation of the road network within the Metropolis. On revenue performance, the mayor expressed management of the Assembly’s commitment to adhering to the recommendations of the revenue improvement action plan to enhance revenue fortunes, notwithstanding the challenges. He added that the Assembly had collected a total revenue of Ghc46,023,771.24 and expended Ghc44,726,115.44 as of September 2024. Hon. Issah further stated that GH¢134,882.00 was spent for 40 Persons with Disabilities who applied for support. The beneficiaries comprised 14 females and 26 males. Eighteen beneficiaries received various items such as laptops, deep freezers, fufu pounding machines, an industrial knitting and overlock machine, and hairdresser items valued at GH¢68,952.00. Additionally, 22 beneficiaries received cash support of GH¢54,930.00 for their micro-businesses, education and medical expenses.

He again announced the payment of the 89th and 90th LEAP cycle to 447 households at a cost of GH₵324,704.00 during the period under review. He noted that the Government has laid out modalities to re-assess the LEAP programme, which will seek to identify and determine the poverty status and eligibility of households benefiting from the LEAP programme. He informed the house that the Election Security Task Force has resumed their operations to deal with election security issues. “On our part as an Assembly, we will work closely with the Electoral Commission, the Regional Coordinating Council and Police to provide the needed support for the preservation of the peace of the Metropolis before, during and after the election”, he added. He therefore urged Hon. Members to remain peace-minded and influence others in that direction for peaceful elections. Hon. Munin Issah reiterated the need for upholding sanitation at all times to rid-off filth from our environs and stay healthy. He noted the challenges of inadequate logistics during the sanitation day, adding that management had resolved to procure more tools to meet the needs of every electoral area to ensure a clean environment. He again informed the house that an old refuse site at Poase in New Takoradi was being evacuated, and the exercise was expected to be completed by the end of the month. He added that spill overs of all communal containers within the Metropolis would be evacuated and, therefore, urged Hon. Members to be conscious of sanitary issues for improved health.

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