Sekondi Jan. 16, GNA - A five-year metropolitan

development plan for Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi

under the Urban Poverty Reduction Project (UPRP) is to be

implemented soon. Under the plan the cities obtain recognised international

financial grading and have access to external capital markets

to finance development on a pilot basis. Mrs. Elizabeth Abena Nkrumah, Zonal Officer of the

Social Investment Fund (SIF) in-charge of the Western and

Central Regions, announced this at a two-day workshop for

members of Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Sub-projects

Review and Approval Committee at Sekondi on Monday. It was organised by the Local Projects

Implementation Agency (LPIA). Mrs Nkrumah said the intervention, which was

under the capacity building for pro-poor urban development

and management component of the project, would support

the establishment of community businesses and

development plans. She said the objective of the Urban Small-Scale

Enterprises Development component was to increase job

creation through partnership between the small enterprise

sector and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. Mrs Nkrumah said, "Its specific objective is to

provide support to 600 small dynamic, growth-oriented

enterprises with high employment generation potential to

upgrade them to Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) level". She said this would be achieved through business

development services including entrepreneurial and

management skills development, advisory services and

access to local and national markets.

Mrs Nkrumah said the Social Capital and

Investment Component would support social and integrated

socio-economic infrastructure and maintenance to ensure

improved standard of living in poor urban communities. She said, "People below the extreme poverty line

would receive Social Inclusion Transfer (SIT) through a

scheme that promotes the principles of social protection

provision to the poorest as a right". Mrs Nkrumah said about 50 community

maintenance management committees would be created

and trained as well as artisans in preventive and curative

maintenance. She said the UPRP was estimated to cost 41 point

67 million United States Dollars. Mrs Nkrumah said the project would be financed

with an African Development Fund (ADF) loan of 37 point 5

million dollars while the government would contribute the

remaining 4 point 17 million dollars. She said the UPRP would be implemented in 12 towns

including Tema, Koforidua, Ho, Akim Oda, Agogo, Wenchi,

Swedru, Apam and Kasoa. Mrs Nkrumah said the Ministry of Local

Government and Rural Development would be the project

executing agency while the Fund Management Unit (FMU) of

SIF would implement the project.