The Ga West Municipal Assembly has held a stakeholder engagement to draw a medium-term development plan for Medie, Akotoshie, and Kotoku electoral areas under the Adjen Kotoku Zonal Council on Thursday, at Medie.
The meeting is in line with the National Development Planning System Act, 1994 (Act 480) which requires District Assemblies to prepare Medium Term Development Plan every 4 years through inclusive stake holder consultations, and the Local Government Act (936) which reinforces the obligation of Assemblies to integrate community perspectives into local development plans to establish effective platforms for public participation.
In a detailed presentation by the Municipal Planning Officer, Mrs. Cynthia Bonsah, she explained that a medium-term development plan is prepared every 4 years for all electoral areas under all Zonal Councils and taken into the Municipal’s medium-term development plan, then processed into a Regional medium-term development plan.
She gave an overview of the 2022 to 2025 development plan, which ends in December 2025: hence, the need to start the preparation of the 2026 to 2029 development plan. She explained the structure of a development plan, which starts with a situational analysis followed by prioritization of development issues of MDA/RCC/MMDA, then formulation of goals, objectives and strategies, formulation of development programs, identification of implementable activities, planning for monitoring and evaluation, and planning for communication.
According to her, the need for residents’ participation includes ownership, acceptability and transparency. She updated the groups on the developmental projects undertaken by the Assembly over the last 4 years in areas of agriculture, roads, education, health, water and sanitation, security, as well as social intervention programmes. She further educated participants on what a problem is, the difference between a problem and a challenge, public service, among others.
Participants were divided into 3 groups based on their electoral areas which are Kotoku, Medie and Akotoshie. Each group drew their medium-term development plan under the supervision of planning officers.
Present at the forum were the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Isaac Kwakye, the Presiding Member of the Ga West Assembly, Reverend Emmanuel M.K. Amuzu, all Assembly members of the electoral area, Heads of Departments of the Assembly, Unit Committee Members, Opinion leaders, women leaders, Landlords and Residents Associations, Faith Based organizations, Transport Associations, Youth Groups, Market Women and Artisans.
Rachel Sarpong, ISD
