MEET THE PRESS

ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HON. MUNICIPAL

CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT THE MEET THE PRESS
SERIES HELD ON 1ST NOVEMBER, 2019 AT THE
ASSEMBLY HALL

OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

➢ INTRODUCTION
➢ EDUCATION
➢ HEALTH
➢ SANITATION
➢ INTERNALLY GENERATED FUNDS
➢ ROADS
➢ SECURITY
➢ SOCIAL PROTECTION AND VULNERABILITY
➢ LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMMENT
➢ GOOD GOVERNANCE
➢ GOVERNMENT FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS
➢ NATIONAL REFERENDUM
➢ CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
➢ CONCLUSION

1
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Good morning friends from the Media Houses

Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honor to gather here this morning as we take stock of
development strides chalked by the Assembly.
The Media as the Fourth Estate of the Realm has an important
role to play in our development by promoting social
accountability and participation in all spheres in the
developmental process, and I always look forward for an
opportunity like this where we can interact and bring to light
things that we are doing as an Assembly to compliment the
developmental agenda of the government.

The Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) was created from

the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) by the Legislative
Instrument (LI) 2312 on 16th November, 2017 and inaugurated
on 15th March, 2018 with Dzorwulu as the district capital.
We are an urban Municipality with a land space of 385km sq and
a projected population of 93,013 people (2010 Population and
Housing Census).
Some major settlements include Abelenkpe, Bawaleshie, Legon,
Shiashie, Roman Ridge, Okponglo and East Legon.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

Our vision is to become a first class client-focused Assembly
providing sustainable development to the people.

2
As an Assembly, we exist therefore to provide socio-economic and
environmental services by leveraging on both human and
material resources for the development of the Municipality.
The above have been our inspiration to initiate a number of
developmental programmes and projects which I will be sharing
with you.

2.0 EDUCATION

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

The Assembly inherited a total of;

• Twelve (12) Public Basic Schools,

• Forty Three (43) Private Basic School,
• One (1) Vocational School,
• Two (2) Public Universities,
• and(4) Four Private Universities

from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

A number of the Public Basic School Blocks were not in good

condition to befit a Municipal status. We therefore initiated a
number of programmes and projects to help improve on them in
addition to teaching and learning.

In our first year, we constructed Chain Link Fencing at La-

Bawaleshie Basic School and distributed 15 Desktop Computers
at Abelenkpe Primary and Maamobi Prisons Schools.

3
 CONSTRUCTION OF CHAIN LINK DISTRIBUTION OF DESKTOP
FENCE AT BAWALESHIE SCHOOL COMPUTERSTRII

Subsequently, the Assembly distributed 550 School Desk to

public schools in the Municipality. These include Abelenkpe,
Dzorwulu, La-Bawaleshie, Legon Staff Village, Demonstration and
Shiashie basic schools.

DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL DESK

4
This year, the Assembly in collaboration with the Scholarship
Secretariat has provided Eighty Nine (89) scholarships to needy
but brilliant students within the Municipality to further their
studies at their various Tertiary Institutions.

AWARD OF SCHORLARSHIP BENEFICIRAIES

My First Day at School was also observed throughout the

Municipality. The program allowed me to interact with pupils and
teachers in the Municipality. There were also presentations of
support items such as stationery, school furniture and other
treats.
MCE’S MY FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

5
Seven (7) schools are enrolled on the School Feeding Programme
in the Municipality.
The Assembly also ensured the smooth implementation of the
School Feeding Programme by distributing 3000 plates and 1200
cutlery sets for the pupils. All Caterers and Head teachers in the
Seven (7) schools have also benefited from training in food
hygiene.
DISTRIBUTION OF PLATES AND CUTLERY

Also waste bins have been distributed to all the Public Basic
Schools in the Municipality to improve sanitation in the Schools.

In addition, the necessary procurement processes are far

advanced to begin the implementation of the following projects
within the education sector in the Municipality;

• Rehabilitation of Legon Staff Village School

• Construction of 12 Unit Classroom Block with ancillary
facilities at Abelenkpe Basic 1
• Provision of School Furniture to Public Schools

6
 • Construction of School Feeding Kitchens at La Bawalashie,
Maamobi, Abelenkpe, Bethany and Legon Staff Village
Schools.

3.0 HEALTH

Currently, Ayawaso West Municipality has no public hospital.

There are fifteen (15) CHPS compound, thirty-four (34) private
health facilities and one partial-public Hospital. The situation
makes it difficult for the average resident to access affordable
health care in the Municipality.

To help bridge the equity gaps in access to health care,

procurement processes have been initiated to procure Medical
Equipment and an Ambulance to support the Legon Hospital.

This shall be delivered before the end of this year.

Indeed to further improve access to affordable health care in the

Municipality, the Assembly has captured in its 2020 Budget the
construction of a Community Clinic and provision of Furniture
and Medical Equipment at Abelenkpe.

4.0 SANITATION

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

As a first class, client-focused and sustainable Assembly,

sanitation is one of the major priorities.

7
• The Assembly has provided Skip Containers at La
Bawaleshie, Tesano, and American House to aid in the
collection of refuse.
• Eighty (80) Dustbins have been placed at vantage points
along Santana Market, Fiesta Royal and Shiashie to prevent
littering in these areas.

DISTRIBUTION OF DUSTBINS

• Also monthly clean-up exercises have been supported by the

Assembly in the various communities with the help of our
Assembly members.

NATIONAL SANITATION DAY

8
 • Our Environmental Health Unit have embarked on an
exercise to educate the residents to ensure that houses and
businesses tidy up and beautify their frontages in the
Municipality.
• Also the Assembly is looking at collaborating with Dzorwulu
Resident Association to pilot waste sorting.
• Routine weeding of medians of the major roads is carried
out along Tetteh Quarshie, Legon and Roman Ridge.
• The strategy to sustain the exercise is to carry out
horticulture works to beautify and green the Municipality.
• DesiltingROUTINE
of drains
WEEDING EXERCISE

5.0 INTERNALLY GENERATED FUNDS

The Assembly as part of its effort in revenue generation targeted

to mobilize an IGF of Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty-
seven Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty-nine Ghana cedis,
Fifty-seven pesewas (Gh₵7,837,169.57) in 2018.

9
Out of this, Six Million, Six Hundred and Nine Thousand, Six
Hundred and Seven Ghana cedis, Ninety-one pesewas
(Gh₵6,609,607.91) representing 84% of IGF was realized at the
end of the year.

The IGF targeted for 2019 was Eleven Million, Five Hundred
and Fifty- Four Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty-seven
Ghana cedis, Fifty pesewas (Gh₵11,554,547.50).

As at September 2019, Nine Million, Six Hundred and Two

Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy-Five Ghana cedis,
Sixty-one pesewas (Gh₵9,602,575.61) have been realized
representing 80% performance. The Assembly has therefore
embarked on Revenue Monitoring and Taskforce Exercise to
ensure that Assembly realizes it target by the end of the year.
Also to facilitate easy payment of rates the Assembly is in the
process of establishing Revenue pay-points and electronic modes
of payment.

6.0 ROADS

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

The total road network of the Assembly stands at 387km, out of

this 312km is tarred and 75km untarred.

Last year 12km of road works in Abelenkpe, Roman Ridge and

Dzorwulu was carried out by Central Government.

10
COMPLETED ROAD WORK AT ABELENKPE, ROMAN RIDGE AND DZORWULU
DDDDDDZOEDZORWULU

I am proud to say that an amount of Two Million, Nine Hundred

and Ninety Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety Nine
Ghana Cedis Six Pesewas (Gh₵2,993,199.06) from the
Assembly’s Internally Generated Funds (IGF) is being used
currently for the tarring of selected roads within Shiashie,
Westland and Dzorwulu Communities.

ONGOING ROAD WORK AT SHIASHIE, WESTLAND AND

DZORWULU

11
The projects were awarded on contact in September this year and
the Contractor is currently on site working.

We wish to assure the people of the judicious use of their

resources by the Assembly and also to encourage them to
continue to pay their taxes to enable the Assembly carryout such
needed projects within the communities.

7.0 SECURITY

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

We generally have a peaceful Municipality with the exception of

few incidences of armed robbery, break-ins and land disputes.

The Springing up of slums in places along the GIMPA/Legon By

pass, under the GRIDCO Pylons, Railway Lines with its attendant
security and waste management issues are also creating
challenges for residents and the Assembly.

The squatters have been served notices to leave these

unauthorized places, failure of which will compel the Assembly
and the security agencies to eject them.

There have also been an influx of commercial sex workers in East

Legon. The security agencies including the Immigration Service
organized swoops to arrest those engaged in this illegal business.

Those arrested were screened by the Police, some were put before
court and prosecuted whilst foreigners amongst them were
deported by the Immigration Service.

12
This notwithstanding, we provided 200 Streetlights and
maintenance of faulty ones in the Municipality to reduce the
incidence of crime at night.

Also the Police have been supported to increase patrols in the

various communities.

INSTALLATION OF STREETLIGHT WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY

We shall continue to collaborate with the Municipal Security

Council (MUSEC) and all the security agencies to ensure a
sustained peaceful environment for the people.

8.0
SOCIAL PROTECTION
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,
The Assembly inherited 7 Households beneficiaries from Accra
Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) under the Livelihood Empowerment
against Poverty (LEAP) program in communities including
Okponglo, La-Bawaleshie and Tesano Zongo.

13
To ensure the protection of less privileged groups in the
Municipality, the Assembly has successfully carried out five LEAP
cash out payment to beneficiaries for 58th-62nd cycles.
The Assembly identified and registered One Hundred and Seven
(107) Persons living with Disability (PWD’s) made up of 62 males
and 45 females.

Social enquiry and Needs Assessment have also been carried out
on Fifty Five (55) Persons with Disability (PWD’s). A total amount
of One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand, Fifty Three
Ghana Cedis, Thirty one pesewas (Gh₵125,053.31) have been
received from the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and
One Hundred Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty Five
Ghana Cedis, and Seventy Four pesewas (Gh₵102, 965.74)
disbursed to fifty five (55) Persons with Disability (PWD’s).

Among the fifty five (55) beneficiaries;

• 26 are physically challenged,

• 4 visually impaired,
• 12 hearing and speech impaired,
• 10 persons with multiple disabilities (autism cerebral palsy)
• 3 mental survivors.

Some items disbursed are Laptop Computer, Glasses and

Lenses, Welding Machine, Industrial Sewing Machine, Steamed
Iron, Industrial Knitting Machine, Shoe Maker Grinding etc.

The remaining fifty three (53) registered Person’s with Disability

(PWD’s) are being assessed to enable the Assembly carry out the
disbursement.

14
 SUPPORT FOR PWD’S

9.0 LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (LED)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

Local Economic Development (LED) is an alternative
development strategy, to fully harness the economic potentials
of the Municipality for job creation, improvement of livelihood
and poverty reduction.
The Assembly through the Department of Social Welfare and
Community Development carried out skills training to provide
empowerment to some people in the Municipality.
I am happy to say that 140 females and 10 males were
successfully trained in Bead making.

15
 TRAINING IN BEADS MAKING

Whilst 25 women were trained in Soap making and 28 women in

bleach making (parazone for washing).

TRAINING IN SOAP MAKING

In addition plans are also underway to establish a Modern

Market and BUS Terminal at Shiashie to boost economic
activities in the Municipality.

Also to promote Local Economic Development (LED), the

Assembly is facilitating the establishment of a Business Advisory
Centre (BAC), to promote activities like skills training, business
16
advisory services and credit facilities to promote the growth of
small and medium scale enterprises.

8.0 GOOD GOVERNANCE

The overall goal is to maintain a stable, united and safe society.

This entails democratic governance, public accountability and
service delivery.
The Assembly is currently been housed here in our newly
furnished office to provide a conducive atmosphere for service
delivery to residents.
Also the Assembly have facilitated the establishment of the
decentralized and non-decentralized Departments to bring
services to the doorstep of our residents.
To help improve access to justice, the Assembly is in the process
of acquiring land to enable collaboration with the Judicial
Service to site a Court in the Municipality.
In the area of social accountability the Assembly has ensured the
participation of stakeholders in plan and budget preparation,
town hall meetings, etc.We also have in place a Client Service
Unit (CSU) and the Public Relations and Complaints Committee
(PRCC) to improve client service and address compliants.
To further deepen participation the Assembly is using new media
such as Facebook and email to reach it citizens.
Again, the Assembly is currently developing a website to enable
the people reach us easily.

17
9.0 GOVERNMENT FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

As a young Assembly we have made efforts to ensure the effective

implementation of government flagship programs in the
Municipality.

(a)
NATION BUILDERS’ CORPS (NaBCO).
Inaugurated on the 17th October, 2018 with the aim to give
employable skills, knowledge and attitude to young graduates
through effective training whiles reducing graduate
unemployment in the country.

The Assembly received its first batch of Three Hundred and

Seventy (370) trainees on 1st November, 2018. The trainees were
posted under 7 modules.

Currently, 367 trainees have been absorbed into the Public

Services. 3 Trainees have also been employed by private
companies whilst three (3) trainees have exited on their own.

CELEBRATION OF ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF NABCO

18
 (b) FREE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Currently the Assembly does not have a Public Senior High

School (SHS) but efforts are being made to acquire land to build
its own to help residents benefit directly within the Municipality.

Despite this situation Five Hundred and Nine (509) candidates

sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in
June 2019. 95% of Students passed and 486 of them have been
placed in various SHS outside the Municipality.

(C)
PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS
• 253 farmers were registered in the Municipality
• 2 Agro –Shops Outlet are currently stocked with subsidized
seeds and fertilizers to enable farmers increase their yield
• Out of 570 bags of fertilizer received 367 bags of fertilizers
have been distributed to farmers,

• Agric Extension Officers have been supplied with field

uniforms and protective clothing to facilitate Agric
Extension delivery.
INSPECTION BY MCE ON PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS

19
 (d) ONE DISTRICT ONE FACTORY

In addition to kick start the implementation of the One District

One Factory Initiative, the Assembly has put in place a District
Implementation Support Team.

As a largely built up Municipality, the Assembly is looking at

growing existing small and medium scale enterprises to take
opportunity of the IDIF programme.

INAUGURATION OF 1D1F DIST. SUPPORT TEAM

20
(e) NATIONAL REFERNDUM

On 17th December, 2019, the Electoral Commission of Ghana will

organize District Assembly Elections and a National Referendum.
The Referendum is targeted at reviewing Article 55(3) of the 1992
Constitution to make it possible for the District Level Election to
be conducted on partisan basis.
Presently, Article 55(13) which is an entrenched clause prohibits
Political Parties from sponsoring a candidate, the use of political
party symbols and canvassing for votes on the platform of a
political party on the District Level Elections.
At the National Referendum at least 40% of eligible voters must
turn-out to vote, out of which 75% must vote in favor for to push
through.
The Assembly has started the sensitization of the people to
enable them come out in their numbers on 17th December and
participate in the exercise.

(10) CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

These are the modest achievements of the Ayawaso West
Municipal Assembly since our existence. We have not realized all
our dreams due to challenges such as;
• Unavailability of land for the provision of social amenities
(eg. Construction of a District Court, recreational Parks etc.)
• Construction of permanent office and residential
accommodation

21
 • Inadequate Revenue Data
• Sanitation
• Springing up of unauthorized structures, amongst others.
To help address some of these challenges,
• The Assembly is in consultation with public institutions like
University of Ghana and Lands Commission to secure land
and landed properties for development.
• Also to improve on revenue data, revaluation of properties
and data collection exercises are being carried out to update
our revenue data base. These exercises when completed,
will help us charge realistic rates and channel the resources
to improve the developmental needs of the people.
• In addition, Environmental Health Officers have also been
deployed throughout the Municipality to sensitize and also
enforce sanitation Bylaws of the Assembly.
• Furthermore to help curtail the springing up of
unauthorized structures in the Municipality our Task Force
have been deployed to carry out Development Control
Exercises within the Municipality.
Indeed we will like to call on all stakeholders to help the
Assembly in this direction to enable us achieve our vision to
become a first class client-focused Assembly providing
sustainable development to the people.

(11) CONCLUSION

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

22
Allow me on this maiden Meet the Press Session of the Assembly
to express my sincerest gratitude to His Excellency the President,
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his leadership as chief
steward of this country and giving us the opportunity to account
for our stewardship to the people.

I would like to thank Honorable Minister for Information for this

innovative idea of providing a platform to interact with the Press
at the MMDA level.

Also let me take this opportunity to commend outgone Honorable

Assembly Members, and Staff for their immense support and
contribution to the development of the Ayawaso West
Municipality.

Saving the best for last; my dear friends from the media your
presence here is the essence of the programme and I will like to
thank you all for honoring our invitation and look forward to
further engagement with you to help deepen decentralization for
accelerated development of the country.

Thank you for your attention.

23