Some communities in the peri-urban areas of the Tema Metropolis lack basic amenities, good roads and social service facilities though they continue to form the base of the metropolis.
They have no roads, markets, lorry parks and well planned demarcated housing projects .
The acquisition area of Tema has seen a significant growth as far as development is concerned and has a historical background dating back to decades.
As the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), was tasked with the development of well planned and demarcated houses ,the Local Government Act 54 of 1961 paved the way for the Department of Town Planning to oversee the day to day social services for the towns and its various settlements.
These demarcations were to enable the planning authorities to have adequate control over such settlements.
A survey conducted by the Daily Graphic in the peri-urban areas indicated that, some of these communities which come under the Tema Metropolitan Assembly have been neglected and lacked basic amenities which are to enable them move within the pace of development planning of the Metropolis.
Some of the communities under the Tema Metropolitan Assembly are Sasabi, Kakasunanka One and Two, Gbetsile, Okushieblie, Appolonia, Katamansu, Saaki, Kpoi-ete and Zenu .
Others are Bawaleshie, Kpone, Sewrepor, Mataheko, Manhean, Lashibi, Adjei-Kojo and Sakumono, among others.
Development has, however, been located mainly in the Tema township to the detriment of these communities which add up to make the Metropolis, therefore, giving developers the opportunity to indiscriminately put up structures which do not conform to building regulations .
People in these communities are mostly farmers and fishermen who have contributed in many diverse ways to lift high the name of Tema by winning the district and regional fishermen and farmers awards some years back.
The Tema development area was re-demarcated in the 1980’s for easy access for planning, but from all indications this has not brought any significant change.
With the district level elections around the corner, people in these areas are looking forward to elect assembly members who are conscious of initiating development projects .
The Tema Metropolitan Development Planning Officer, Mr Kofi Taylor Appiah in an interview with Daily Graphic confirmed that the peri-urban communities lacked amenities but explained that the people had refused to pay their levies, liquid and solid waste management fees and their property rates.
He said the assembly was already burdened with the rising cost of waste collection in the Metropolis stating that about 80 per cent of the Assembly’s common fund and internally generated funds went into waste collection.
Mr Taylor–Appiah said the Assembly had a four year medium term development plan for 2010-2013 to provide markets, lorry parks, classroom blocks, roads, drains and health posts for some communities in the Metropolis .
He said the assembly would rely on the needs of the people to undertake the project after consultation with them.
Mr Taylor-Appiah said population had far exceeded development, therefore, rendering the existing facilities inadequate .
He said Tema was currently operating dangerously on an over 40 year old sewer pumping station which is not able to contain the workload of the liquid waste .
Mr Taylor –Appiah said the Assembly would need to look for funds to replace the pumping station .
He stated that the Assembly would embark on public fora in all the peri-urban areas to educate them on the need to pay their levies .
Mr Taylor-Appiah said it was the intention of the TMA to open up the Metropolis to ensure that the people were brought closer for transparency. He said the Assembly’s financial base had dwindled considerably because of the inability of some companies to honour their obligations to the Assembly.
He reiterated the governments policy on public toilets and noted that the Assembly would no more provide such facilities in the metropolis and asked landlords to put up places of convenience for their tenants .
Mr Taylor- Appiah appealed to people living in the peri-urban areas to conform to the Local Government Act which demanded that they fulfilled their tax obligations to enable the Assembly provide the needed amenities.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment