Tema-Ghana, April 19, CDA Consult – Mr. Yohane Amarh Ashietey Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive reviewed the Assembly’s accomplishments in 2022, which included finishing first on the District League Table and achieving 90 percent deployment of the Memo Tracker.
Mr. Ashietey noted during the Tema Metropolitan Assembly’s first regular meeting of the 4th session of the 8th Assembly that the tracker has helped ensure that the Assembly does not lose sight of any answer to all its correspondences in real-time.
According to Mr. Ashietey, the social sector aims include the promotion of gender equity and equality, the survival and development of children, and the harmonization of social protection interventions and programmes to contribute to our nation’s growth.
He also stated that the city had 248 cases in court involving juveniles and young criminals, as well as 316 children and family welfare issues that were amicably handled to maintain harmony in homes for the development and survival of children.
Despite this, 39 Day Care Centres were supervised to ensure compliance with the criteria outlined in the Children’s Act of 1998 (Act 560).
He stated that 44 People with Disabilities (PWD) were helped with medical, educational, capacity-building, and income-generating activities worth GHS 110,619.27, and that materials were supplied to them to help them start enterprises.
“The Assembly also facilitated NHIS registration and renewal for 119 PWDs, 2,279 school children, 210 LEAP household members, and 1,270 community members from Awudum and Abonkor, for which an amount of GHS224,976.00 was disbursed to beneficiary households in six payment cycles as livelihood support,” he said.
Mr Ashietey added that the Assembly prioritised public health services because of the positive impact it has on individuals and development.
Thus measured according to approved indicators in the UNICEF-funded District League Table, which included the proportion of mothers who made at least four ANC visits, the proportion of newborns and mothers who received PNC within 48 hours of delivery, and the proportion of children under one year who were fully immunized and delivered by a skilled attendant.
Furthermore, during the fiscal year under review, the Assembly enhanced its infrastructure by constructing a two-story, 12-unit classroom complex with associated amenities at Manhean Presby Basic School and renovating the canoe basin bridge at Tema Manhean.
Other projects include the installation and renovation of street lighting, the construction of a shed for cabbage vendors and a two-story market shop at Community 9 Market, the supervision of the Chemu Lagoon dredge, and the demolition of temporary constructions along the main road in Tema Manhean.
Mr. Ashietey noted that the economic sector in the Assembly’s commerce and industry fraternity, in collaboration with the Ghana Enterprise Agency, which has the purpose of supporting local economic development, will assist the expansion of micro, small, and medium-sized firms.
The goal was to promote economic development in the metropolis by facilitating certifications from the Food and Drugs Authority and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for 123 entrepreneurs, and 57 clients were assisted in registering their respective companies with the Registrar General Department.
“Over the years, the Assembly has passed bylaws aimed at ensuring that the objectives of a cleaner and healthier environment are achieved within the environmental sector,” he said.
Mr. Ashietey added that the Assembly’s financial sector has been incrementally improved, so the total budget estimated for the year 2022 in the review was GHS 46,775.89, with the internally generated fund (IGF) accounting for 57.4 percent and grants accounting for 42.6 percent of the total budget.
“The sister city project has been successfully implemented with the Aarhus Municipality, Denmark, for the technical assistance provided to us, particularly in the areas of operation and maintenance of the Tema sewer system, as well as collaboration with Ghana Water Company to improve service delivery and revenue mobilization,” he said.
