Wa Municipal implements robust urban development plan

The Wa Municipal Assembly has started implementing a multimillion development programme aimed at
improving urban management and basic services in a move to lift the
Municipality into a metropolitan status within five years.
Projects listed under the five-year Ghana
Secondary City Support Programme (GSCSP) aided by the World Bank, cover
construction of several economic and social infrastructures.
They include markets, lorry parks,
abattoirs, health, education and recreational parks.
Briefing journalists about planned
activities by the Wa Municipal Assembly to implement the plan, the Chief
Executive, Alhaji Issahaku Moomin Tahiru, called for support and cooperation
from the people to ensure successful completion of the projects.
He said implementation activities have
started with stakeholder consultations ongoing for the construction of modern
markets, Lorry Park, drainage systems, street lights, pedestrian walkways and
bus stops among others.
“We have started stakeholder consultations
with market groups, the GPRTU and other stakeholders,” he added: “An
alternative place has been provided for the affected people in the market.”
He also assured the people that profiling of
traders would be done and after the construction of the market space, everyone
would be move back to their original places at no cost.
Alhaji Tahiru was optimistic that its
successful completion would raise the image of Wa Municipality and also lift
its current position to a metropolitan status as well as enhance rapid social
and economic growth and development for improved living standards.
The GSCSP is a five-year programme that
begins from 2019 to 2023 and is being financed through an IDA [International
Development Association] credit of $100 million.
It is aimed at supporting government’s
efforts to strengthen intergovernmental fiscal framework as well as enhance
local public financial management and accountability.
About 25 Municipal Assemblies (MAs) would
receive incentives to improve their performance as city managers under the
scheme.
Each MA will receive an annual capacity
support grant at a flat rate of $50,000.00 for three years and a maximum of
$150,000.00.
Alhaji Tahiru enumerated seven major
projects embarked for construction and completion by the year 2023.
He was hopeful that work would begin by
October 2019 and assured the public that procurement processes would be
concluded in six weeks to pave way for commencement of actual works.
The MA’s plan contains construction of 3.0
meter rectangular storm drain along Konta-Dobile new market stream, stretching
about 5.9 kilometres in the municipal capital, Wa.
It also involves construction and surfacing
of Dobile market to the new hospital link road with street lights, pedestrian
walkways and bus stops.
There will be median strips, with street
lights, pedestrian walkways and bus stops on the JJ Rawlings High Street and
construction of one kilometre road from Dobile market to Mangu link road with street
lights, pedestrian walkways and bus stops.
The plan covers construction of two-storey
120 unit market stores, persons with disability (PWDs) stairs, fire station,
50-capacity conference facility, two mechanised boreholes, 24 washrooms, six
led street lights, 722m2 paved area with 225m2 car park at Fadama in Wa.
It will further encapsulates construction of
two-storey 120 unit market stores, PWDs stairs, fire station, 50-capacity
conference facility, two mechanised boreholes, 24 washrooms, six led street
lights, 722m2 paved area with 22m2 car park at Wa.
Wa Municipal is located in the south-eastern
part of the Upper West Region with a landmass of about 1,078km².