Month: January 2025

Management of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly on the 28th of January, 2025 held meeting with all stakeholders of the Assembly at the Assembly Conference Hall to discuss the Medium Term Development Plan that will shape the development goals of the Assembly. The meeting also provided the opportunity for the heads of departments to share their achievements and challenges for the previous year and their target for the next year.
The Municipal Development Planning Officer (Benjamin A. Asaah) in his presentation stated the essence of their plan which is to promote consistency in development across the Municipality and the country at large. He also highlighted on the plan aligning with both domestic and international development plans such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He further mentioned that the timeline for this plans are influenced by the annual budget calendars and the only way the Assembly is able to raise revenue to support the development plan is through the District Assembly Performance Tool and the Secondary City Support Program which is not enough. Again, he added that the Assembly after seeking additional support which is very competitive has been assigned a target to achieve before being provided with the fund. The target is to achieve proper waste management in the Municipality and he believes that street naming will be essential in resolving the issue of waste management as it will make it easy to identify a particular street that is posing a challenge and have the Sanitation Officers deployed to the scene to take the necessary action. Educating the school children not to litter the environment will also help solve the problem.
The Municipal Head of Departments and Agencies reported significant progress in several areas in 2024, alongside ongoing challenges. For instance crime decreased by 72%, with plans for further reduction in 2025.The Education Service achieved 91% of its targets, citing successful initiatives but inadequate funds and Office space limitations has been a challenge. According to the Director of National Disaster Management Organization in the Municipality, focus has been shifted to disaster prevention and thereby reducing disaster cases in the Municipality. The Physical Planning Department worked tediously to ensure that the Municipality is planned in a way that lives are not in danger, but struggles with undocumented land ownership and unauthorized land development by land owners. The Health Directorate was able to conduct various training programs and campaigns but faces challenges such staff shortages, funding issues, just to mention a few. The Department of Agriculture was able to provide some incentives such as fertilizers, mango seedlings, and weedicides to the farmers but faces obstacles like high input costs and climate change. Social Welfare and Community Development Department outlined its core functions such as Justice and Administration, Child and Family Welfare, and Community development. . Finally, Environmental Health and Sanitation Department reported on its ability to conduct inspections and education efforts. However, they are faced with challenges of staff shortages and lack of transportation.
While time constraints prevented all departments from presenting, the meeting successfully briefed attendees on the MTDP and fostered a collaborative spirit. Participants expressed interest in working together to achieve the Assembly’s development goals. The departmental updates highlighted both successes and significant challenges, particularly concerning funding, staffing, and infrastructure. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for the successful implementation of the MTDP and the overall development of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.