The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) has inaugurated the Interjurisdictional Coordination Management Committee (ICMC) and the ICMC Steering Committee to improve metropolitan planning, operations and maintenance.

The Steering Committee of the ICMC is expected to provide strategic oversight, policy direction and technical advice relating to the operations of the ICMC.

The establishment and operationalisation of the ICMC is also to guide the cross-jurisdictional planning and coordination among the 17 Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies (MMAs).

The establishment of the ICMC was based on and supported by existing legal frameworks of Section 31 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) as amended.

Mr. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Minister for MLGDRD, in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State, said the Act made provision for District Assemblies to establish Joint Committees for the purposes of addressing issues of mutual interest.

He added that they may also delegate a function of the District Assembly to the established Committee to operate.

The Minister for MLGDRD said the Greater Accra Region was the administrative region and host 17 per cent of Ghana’s population, including critical assets.

However, it also faced significant challenges, including urban sprawl, flooding, and inadequate infrastructure.

“These issues transcend individual Metropolitan and Municipal boundaries and require a collaborative approach,” he added.

Mr. Korsah said the weak coordination among MMAs in Greater Accra was identified in the City-Strength Diagnostic Study Report commissioned by the World Bank as one of the factors, which contributed to the incidence of the June 03, 2015, disaster for which the GARID Project was designed to address.

He said the desire to establish the ICMC was a conscious effort and a testament to the commitment to addressing these challenges, especially tackling the issue of perennial flooding that had engulfed the region because of both human and climate change-related factors.

The Minister of MLGDRD charged the ICMC to improve metropolitan governance and management of transboundary problems with a focus on drainage and sanitation issues, within the GARID Project context.

He said similarly the MLGDRD had procured multi-purpose drones for each MMA to help identify areas they needed to work on to achieve the objective of addressing flooding and related issues in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area.

“By consolidating efforts and fostering collaboration among yourselves, you can ensure that the development initiatives you champion are well coordinated, efficient and benefit the communities within your respective municipalities,” Mr. Korsah added.

The Minister of MLGDRD urged all members of the Steering Committee and ICMC to approach their roles with dedication, transparency, and a spirit of collaboration, adding that the future of the Greater Accra Region depended on our collective efforts.