In the wake of the brouhaha surrounding the Twin Cities in Sustainable Partnership Programme Project (TCSPP) officials of the Sekondi – Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has said the project would be implemented despite negative feedbacks by from some Assembly members.
The project is aimed to promote sustainable and integrated development in the Metropolis and better the lives of its citizenry.
According to the Assembly’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. John Laste stated that the funded projects are divided into three groups which are urban governance, Climate change, and the use of culture to enhance economic growth.
He said that the money allocated to undertake specific activities in the Metropolis to better the lives of people.
Mr. Laste revealed that an amount of €1,000,000 would be used to start the first phase of the project.
“The funds allotted are focused on delivering specific activities and cannot be diverted into other projects. This project is divided into three trenches that are being monitored. And if the right things are not done, we won’t receive the two trenches”, he stated.
For his part, the Project Coordinator for the Twin Cities in Sustainable Partnership Project, Isaac Aidoo mentioned the project has a focus to drive specific undertakings which prevent the Assembly to enroll its medium-term plan.
He said the proposal does not require them to build schools, fix roads, and other infrastructure as suggested by some Assembly members.
He quoted a part of the proposal which pointed out conditions to be met by the Assembly.
“The following type of actions are ineligible. Actions which consist exclusively or primarily in capital expenditure, lands, buildings. The aim of the financier is on Multilevel Urban governance,” he cited.
According to him, Multilevel Urban governance is to build and strengthen the bond between city authorities and the city dwellers to promote decentralization at the local level.
The proposal, he mentioned requires justification by the Assembly on the necessity of a project to be undertaken.
On the contrary, some Assembly members do not agree with the Assembly to undergo some earmarked projects in the Metropolis.
Mr Aidoo explained that as part of the project, trees would be planted to avoid destruction of plantations and control climate change.
He also said, unemployed graduate would be taken through skill development and training after which trainees would receive start up capital to venture into preferred business.
“We will train people in agriculture, construction of biogas digester, toilet facilities, plastic waste and start them up in the skills received,’ he said.
