The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly had by the end of November this year collected an amount of GHC 7.54 million as internally generated funds representing 94.54 percent of revenue target for 2017.

Mr. Anthony K Sam, Metropolitan Chief Executive said the figure was 23 percent higher than the figure realized the same period last year.

Mr. Sam who announced this during a press soiree in Sekondi commended the treasury department for their efforts and challenged them to exceed the target for 2018.

The MCE said a total amount of 13.9 million was received as external grants comprising the second quarter district assembly common fund and UDG.

Mr Sam hinted that a new Municipality to be known as Effia-Kwesimintim Municipality would be carved out of the Metropolis this year and would be fully operational by mid-2018 and promised that the STMA would give the new assembly the needed assistance to enable it stand on its feet.

The MCE said the future of the Metropolis looked bright as far as foreign direct investment was concerned since a number of investors had expressed interest in various sectors of the local economy specifically in the areas of hospitality, agro-based industry and health.

He appealed to local businesses to strategically position themselves to take full advantage and opportunities that would be offered.

Touching on sanitation, the MCE said the assembly in its quest to improve the turnaround time for the collection and disposal of waste from households within the metropolis, re-zoned the door to door operational areas from four to five.

According to him, the procurement process had been completed and five companies had been selected to commence work from January next year.

On security and beautification, he said the assembly provided street lights at major streets and communities and that during the year under review, the assembly also embarked on an exercise to prune trees located along all major roads to provide an aesthetic effect.

Mr Sam said next year the assembly would embark on a programme to improve the beautification of the metropolis, adding that the Department of Parks and Gardens would start greening the metropolis along major roads , while unauthorised kiosks and containers along ceremonial roads which have already been marked would be demolished if the owners fail to remove them.

On roads, the MCE said a total of 30 kilometres of roads have so far been graded in the metropolis by the department of urban roads and that from next year and beyond the Metropolis would witness a significant change in the road sector.

Mr Sam said specifically the metropolis would witness the commencement of works of a flyover interchange at the Kwame Nkrumah roundabout as well as the dualizing of the Kwame Nkrumah roundabout-Tanokrom road through Kojokrom.

He said the assembly has been directed to tar all untarred roads in the Metropolis next year and that all unauthorised transport terminals have been relocated from the central business district to the newly built Apremdo transport terminal.

On education the MCE expressed concern about the fact that public schools in the metropolis have over the years been experiencing dwindling performance in the BECE and to surmount the problem, he said the STMA had mapped out an intervention to support teaching and learning by funding two mock exams for public schools in the metropolis in the next academic year.

Mr Sam advised the media in the Metropolis to discharge their duties with the highest degree of professionalism and eschew all practices that would bring the name of the noble profession into disrepute. “Some media personalities use their medium to settle scores”