The New Juaben South Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region has unveiled its 2025 action plan for the development of the area.
The action plan, which focuses on four core thematic areas, is also to advance youth development with reference to the Koforidua youth manifesto.
The thematic areas are local economic development, social development, environment and human settlement development and governance and institutional development.
The action plan was unveiled during the assembly’s town hall meeting held in Koforidua last Monday by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ransford Owusu-Boakye.
The meeting, which was on the theme: “Youth Inclusion in Governance: A key to Achieving Sustainable Development”, was organised by the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly in collaboration with STAR-Ghana Foundation and supported financially by the BOTNAR Foundation, a Swiss philanthropic organisation. It was attended by officials of the two organisations, assembly members, chiefs, religious leaders, youth groups in the area, traders, among others.
The gathering was to enable the participants to make inputs on how best to develop the municipality and make sure that the voices of the youth are heard and included in the decision-making process.
Highlighting the action plan, Mr Owusu-Boakye said under the local economic development, entrepreneurship training programmes would be organised under which start-up kits and working capital would be provided to the beneficiaries.
He said at the same time jobs would be created through technology improvement programmes and formalisation of businesses, while agriculture would be boosted through improved technologies and value-chain support.
Tourism potentials in the area, the MCE stated, would also be developed by improving tourist sites, infrastructure and promoting cultural homecomings.
Mr Owusu-Boakye indicated that social development would focus on improving the quality of life for all individuals who would have access to education, health care, social justice and basic amenities.
That, he explained, would address inequality and empower communities for sustainable progress, social cohesion and long-term stability.
The MCE emphasised that access to health care would be provided through the provision of CHPS compounds, mental health and substance abuse awareness campaigns.
Education
The educational sector, the MCE indicated, would benefit from better infrastructure, learning materials and bursaries for brilliant, needy students, strengthening child and social protection, supporting persons with disabilities (PWDs) as well as tackling gender-based violence.
He further stressed that there would be the provision of clean water and hygiene infrastructure, such as places of convenience and wash facilities, while dustbins would also be provided at vantage points.
Mr Owusu-Boakye said recreational facilities such as the Ohemaa and Yaw Kyeremah parks would be developed.
Environment, others
On environment and human settlement development, he said the assembly would be working with the relevant departments and agencies to sustainably manage the environs.
That, Mr Owusu-Boakye stated, would involve intensification of public education on sanitation, desilting drains, stopping indiscriminate waste disposal and open defecation.
The bad road network in the municipality such as the Adweso, Abugre and Koforidua Zango roads which are in deplorable states, he indicated, would be improved and maintained with good road markings, while decongestion exercises and tree planting would be periodically organised to reduce the impact of climate change and flooding.
Delving into governance and institutional development, Mr Owusu-Boakye intimated that civic education and proactive information sharing would be strengthened and youth participation in local governance through consultations and engagements would be promoted.
He said the assembly would also offer infrastructure and financial support to the security services.
Participants’ concerns
Most of the participants expressed concern about the perennial flooding as well as non-functioning of street lights in the municipality, while others called for more jobs for the unemployed youth.
They told the MCE to undertake rehabilitation of bad roads, expansion of the Koforidua Central Market to accommodate the large number of traders who most often occupy the shoulders of the roads, ensure the regular flow of water, the provision of refuse containers at vantage points, good drainage systems and put in place measures to fight drug abuse.
A resident of the Koforidua Zango, Benedicta Narh, who was unhappy about the bad roads in the area, told the Daily Graphic that her expectation was that the MCE and the assembly would immediately rehabilitate the bad roads to make them motorable.
Another resident from the Kantudu Electoral Area, Sampson Atteh Akumani, said poor drainage systems as well as bad roads in the area were the main causes of flooding in the area anytime it rained heavily.
He therefore appealed to the MCE to visit the areas to address the situation.
An assemblyman for the Adweso Town Electoral Area, Samuel Amo, was happy about the MCE’s announcement that his area’s bad roads would be rehabilitated soon to avoid flooding of the area.
