Cape Coast, Sept. 29, GNA - The Cape Coast Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr

Anthony Egyir Arkins on Wednesday stated that the Better Ghana Agenda was on course

in the Cape Coast Metropolis due to the number of development projects being executed

by the Metropolitan Assembly within the past two and half years. Mr Arkins pointed out that all sectors including education, health, security, agriculture,

tourism, and roads were receiving enough support from both the Central Government and

the Assembly, which he said would go a long way to improve upon the living conditions

of people of the area. Mr Arkins said this when he addressed the second ordinary meeting of the Cape Coast

Metropolitan Assembly in Cape Coast. He announced that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had

given full recognition to the Assembly as a Metropolis and had therefore lined up some

interventions for the development of Cape Coast. According to him as part of the arrangement the Ministry had been able to get the

Netherlands Government to consider making Cape Coast a model city and that a working

committee had since been set up to discuss the issue in detail, with the view of

formulating a water and sanitation plan which would be submitted to the Netherlands

Government for consideration and funding. The MCE debunked arguments that the NDC Government in its two-and-a-half years

rule had done nothing for the Cape Coast Metropolis, stressing that the Assembly had

produced a documentary on some of the projects and would soon telecast the= m. Mr Arkins said since 2009, a number facilities including a total of 6,500 mono and dual

desks, valued at 120 Ghana cedis had been supplied to both basic and senior high schools

in the Cape Coast Metropolitan area in line with the Better Ghana Agenda In addition, he said 230 bunk beds had been supplied to Mfantsipim, Adisadel, and

Ghana National College, while a pavilion had been constructed for Oguaa Sec Tech

including a 12-unit classroom block. He said dormitory blocks, administration blocks, libraries, teacher's bungalow and

quarters had also been constructed for both basic and senior high schools in the

Metropolis. On Health, the MCE said CHPS compounds had been constructed for Nkan= foa,

Akotokyir and Nyame Bekyere communities, whiles a learning center and cafeteria had

been built for the UCC Medical School, adding that a diagnostic center and an

auditorium for the regional teaching hospital were under construction with a maternity

block and nurses quarters for Efutu Clinic. On sanitation, he said 48 refuse containers had been supplied to sele= cted

communities, and that places of convenience for Nkanfoa, Akotokyir, Brabedze, Efutu,

Koforidua Nyinasim and Abura were being constructed. He said a number of defective streets lights had been rehabilitated and new ones

provided in 22 communities including Ankaful, Efutu, Antem, Siwdo Compound, Cape

Coast School for the Deaf, Amamoma and Apewosika. He indicated that a new police station had been established at Kotokuraba, the

business center of Cape Coast to improve upon the area's security. The MCE said work was on going to construct five 40-bay open market sheds at

Ankaful, Ekon, Efutu Kakomdo and Abrebedze communities and that a Cape Coa= st

development Company limited had also been established to see to the investment drive of

the area. He said plans were far advanced to establish a cement factory as well as a film

production company in Cape Coast to create more jobs for the youth. On employment, he said 52 young people were employed as city guards with 12

people being employed as revenue collectors, adding that more than 1000 youth had

been employed under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP). To ensure good governance, Mr Arkins said the Assembly had opened two sub-

metros and that regular management meetings and quarterly staff meetings were held

regularly, adding that a functional audit report implementation committee had been

established to ensure that all recommendations arising from audit inspections and

monitoring were duly implemented in the assembly, Touching on tourism, he said everything would be done to develop the beach-line from

the Cape Coast Castle to Elmina to boost tourism in the Region.