The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Naa Kwatsoe Sackey has expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the committees and their commitment to serving the interests of the residents of Accra.
The Mayor said this at the first quarter Executive Committee (EXECO) meeting held at AMA City Hall.
The meeting provided a platform for committee members to review and deliberate on reports submitted by the Justice and Security, Environment and Disaster Management, Finance and Administration, Education and Sports, Revenue Mobilisation, and Works sub-committees of the Assembly.
She highlighted the need to balance short-term actions with long-term goals for the sustainable development of the city and emphasised the importance of effective coordination between departments to achieve the Assembly’s objectives.
The Mayor urged the committees to continue focusing on innovative solutions, especially in areas such as waste management, environmental sustainability, and revenue mobilisation, among others.
Mayor Sackey stressed the necessity of engaging with the public and stakeholders throughout the Assembly’s planning and implementation processes, adding that transparent and inclusive decision-making was crucial for building trust and fostering a sense of ownership among the city’s residents.
She also encouraged members to work diligently in preparation for the General Assembly meeting, where the reports would be submitted for further action.
The report presented by the Justice and Security Committee outlined measures to protect the reclaimed site at Agbogbloshie from dumping of refuse, and open defecation, collaborate with relevant institutions to repair nonfunctioning traffic lights in the metropolis, enhance security at various markets to prevent criminals or deviant persons from using the market at night as their abode, and other nefarious activities.
The report also emphasised collaborations with local law enforcement to reduce crime rates and improve community policing and road safety in the metropolitan area.
The Environment and Disaster Management, committee report highlighted initiatives aimed at equipping the waste management department with sanitation equipment and tools to aid in the cleaning of the city and communities, removing all structures built on hydrants and collaborating with appropriate institutions to repair all broken ones to aid firefighting and construct model standards public toilets.
The Environment and Disaster Management Committee, report also reported on the need to construct a kraal and a pen for the Metro Public Health Department to enforce stray animal arrests.
The Education and Sports, Revenue Mobilisation Committee touched on increasing the presence of Ga-Adangbe teachers in schools by implementing policies like scholarship grants for College of Education students studying the language, to address the current shortage of Ga-Adangbe teachers, the provision of sufficient sporting equipment and logistics to schools to enhance sports teaching, and promote physical activity and well-being among students.
The committee also discussed the creation of additional sporting spaces or parks for communities and schools within the Metropolis, to foster sporting activities, promote physical health, and encourage community engagement, as well as the need to prioritise environmental health and sanitation.
The Finance and Administration committee, on the other hand, discussed efforts to digitalize property rate collection to address revenue leakages, extend the ongoing pilot revenue digitization to all three sub-metros for five years, subject to renewal based on performance, organise Town Hall meetings in all 20 electoral areas, and encourage the participation of Assembly members in selecting scholarship beneficiaries.
The Revenue Mobilisation Committee also emphasised the collaboration with law enforcement agencies to enforce property rate payments from non-compliant property owners, the retrieval of arrears data from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for analysis, and educational initiatives focusing on achieving revenue targets.
The Works Committee reported on the need for politicians and chiefs to refrain from intervening for developers who construct without building permits, and to share copies of building permits with Sub-Metros for easy identification of permitted projects.
Members also discussed the provision of dedicated vehicles that building inspectors will be provided with for site inspections and the need to involve Assembly members, Sub-Metro Directors, and Chairmen in decision-making processes.
The meeting concluded with a unanimous agreement on the need for continued collaboration between committees to ensure that Accra remains a safe, prosperous, and sustainable city for all residents.
