Regional News of Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Source: GNA

Government committed to improve living standards of Ghanaians - Vanderpuije

The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, on Wednesday said all activities and programmes undertaken by Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) during the past three years were indication of government’s resolve to improve the living standards of Ghanaians.

Mr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, reiterated his dream to make Accra one of the finest cities in Africa, and that the AMA would not renege on its promise of bringing development to the doorsteps of the people, and “make them live in it and love it.”

He said this when he accompanied the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo to inspect some ongoing projects in the Metropolis.

Some of the projects inspected are the one-way traffic on the Asafoatse Nettey Road, High Street and Kantamanto Road, Lavender Hill, Mamponse drains, Millennium City Schools, Darkuman, Sakaman and Osu storm drains, West Legon Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and L.U Pumping Station, East Legon Community roads and Spintex roads near the Accra Polo court.

With abolition of the basic school shift system, AMA launched an endowment fund for the construction of 50 three-storey 18 unit classroom public schools in the metropolis with 38 almost completed.

Mr Vanderpuije explained that, the Millennium City's educational infrastructural initiatives were aimed at the expansion and improvement of school facilities after a successful abolition of the shift system at basic schools in the metropolis.

He said emptying of liquid waste directly into the sea at Lavender Hill in Accra would be stopped by June 2012.

Six anaerobic digesters would be built at the place to treat liquid waste into organic waste.

Digesters are only marginally effective at reducing problems with odours, pathogens and greenhouse gas emissions from animal waste or sewerage sludge; and used for turning sewerage treatment plants and animal waste into manure.

Another Sewerage Improvement Project at Legon estimated at GH?22.5 million covers acreage of 120,000 square metres.

After completion of the project in September, it would serve University of Ghana, Legon Presbyterian Boys School, Institute of Professional Studies and in future include Haatso, East and West Legon, Okponglo and Madina.

Mr Afotey Agbo, said on-going developmental works done in the metropolis to improve the living standards of residents was a clear hint that the government would be retained in power in Election 2012, adding that if residents did not show appreciation by voting for the ruling government then they wouldn’t be worth dying for.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Alhaji Abass Awolu, Metropolitan Roads Engineer, said so far 3.5 km out of a five-kilometre road under construction at Abbossey Okai have been primer sealed, while 10km of roads under construction at East Legon would be completed by the end of April.

He said 25km of roads were being constructed at the eastern side of East Legon; including Adjiriganor link, Bawaleshie, Freetown and Lagos Avenue.

Alhaji Awolu said 300m of storm drains at Osu had been completed ahead of schedule while 450m out of 900m of storm drains at Sakaman had been completed with the one km stretch of storm drain at Darkuma also progressing.**