Minister Applauds STMA for Securing 3000,000 Euros Funding For Project; Calls on MMDAs to Replicate

The deputy Minister designate for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah has charge all Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies  to learn and replicate the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly’s Efforts and resilience toward securing a grant of EUR 3,000,000 for it sister city project from Porlamo and European Union which focuses on promoting Sustainable and Intergrated Development in the Twin-Cities of Sekondi Takoradi and Parlermo(Italy) .

His comment follows the launch of the  Twin-Cities In sustainable Partnership Project which was officially launched at Best Western Pluzz Atlantic Hotel in Takoradi .

The Twin-Cities In sustainable Partnership is a 3-year project with the  European Union Contributing 95% to it  where as STMA does  5%  to complete the project  from 2022 to 2024. The project is targeted at  enhancing the capacity of the Assemblies in addressing challenges
of urban sprawl ,Climate change, unemployment, poverty,exclusion  and  New realities of COVID-19.

Speaking at the side line of the launch, deputy The deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah called on other MMDA’s to learn from STMA to replicate similar initiative in their assemblies to complement government’s developmental agenda.

According to him, sister cities partnership are even available beyong  Europe therefore assemblies must go into some of this nature to expedite development in certain targeted  sectors.

“For a very long time assemblies have been embarking on the sister city project, it is not only in Italy, outside Europe we have these sister cities project, but in this situation but  we have another partner coming that is  European Union to appreciate what can be done between sister cities in this case  for urban development , Employment, Climate change agriculture and more.

Other cities would have to copy and make it work. As you heard it, it took them some time  to get this competitive grant because they have to put in a lot of work, this is the about the third time and now they have succeded and attracted this kind of funding, other district, municipalities and Metros should learn a lot from this to also attract this kind of cooperation and grant to also focus on certain aspect within their district which they want to develop.It is all part of development and meeting the sustainable development goals”.

The four thematic areas which the project is expected to focus on including Multi level Urban Governance, Cultural-Sensitive and Inclusive Urban Strategies and urban Climate Change Resilience.

Below are some of the project expected to be  born out of the various thematic areas above to improve the standard of development in Sekondi Takoradi.

1. Training for 150 members of Metropolitan Planning Coordinating Unit, Spatial Planning Committee and Stakeholders in Intergrated Urban Governance and Spacial Planning

2. Training for 60 community leaders amd 40 other selected stakeholders on social accountability tools.

3. Organising of Transnational exchange Visit between Sekondi Takoradi and Palermo(Italy)

4.Training of 50 Vulnerable 5.Groups( Including Fisherfolks), 50 Small-Holder Vegetable Farmers and 200 unemployed Women and Youth in Urban Agriculture

6.Planting of fruits-trees  to enhance urban food security

7.Provision of decent toilet facility for 500 housing units to Units to benefit poor household in low income

8.Organise Transnational culture Festival in Sekondi Takoradi and Palermo

9. Construction of two well-resource youth-friendly reproductive health Kiosks.

10. Conduct community campaigns targeting the youth on adolescent reproductive health, gender- based violence, inclusive education and irregular immigration.

11.Organise public consultation  with local communities on climate resilient policy .

12. Prepare an Eco disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan

13.Plant  5,000 ornamental trees to address environmental degradation and adverse effect of climate change on livelihood at community levels

14. Develop an Urban lab to serve as Skills and Enterpreneurship Training Centre on Climate-Smart Production Technologies.

15. Skill development training for 150 unemployed youth and women in green social enterprises

16. Pilot community based production of 100 Eco friendly Ovens.