By Kamal Ahmed
Somanya(E/R), March 25, GNA – The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), alongside key collaborators have organized a stakeholders’ engagement to present base maps and local development plans for four communities in the Yilo Krobo Municipality.
The initiative, focused on promoting sustainable development and structured growth, involved collaboration between the Office of Stool Lands, the Lands Commission, and the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly.
The communities benefiting from this effort are Somanya, Nkurakan, Oterkporlu, and Klo-Agogo.
The University of Environment and Sustainable Development hosted an event aimed at disseminating the outcomes of the ongoing spatial planning project.
The event saw a significant turnout of stakeholders, including local leaders, community members, technical experts, and government officials.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure orderly development in rapidly growing areas, with a focus on land use, resource management, and urban growth.
Mr Chapman Owusu Sekyere, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of LUSPA, emphasized the critical role spatial planning plays in building sustainable communities.
He explained that LUSPA’s mandate included preparing base maps and spatial plans to guide development, ensuring towns and cities grow in an efficient and structured manner.
“We’re supporting the assembly to fulfil its mandate of preparing spatial plans to guide development, ensuring healthy and organized cities and towns,” he said.
He further noted, “When people from other communities visit, they’ll be impressed by how human activities have been effectively organized.”
Mr Samuel Larbi Darko, an engineer and President of the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LiSAG), commended the Yilo Krobo Municipality for piloting the project, expressing hope for its eventual expansion to other regions.
He urged the government to provide financial backing to replicate the initiative nationwide. “We need the government’s support to scale up this project, which has the potential to transform how we plan our cities and towns,” he stated.
Ms. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister, highlighted the importance of stakeholder involvement in the planning process.
She stressed that engaging community members, local leaders, technical experts, and government agencies was crucial for developing plans that genuinely reflect the community’s aspirations.
“Including all stakeholders ensures that plans are both well-informed and aligned with the community’s vision for the future,” she explained.
Ms. Awatey further emphasized that “Accurate base maps and well-developed local plans are essential tools for informed decision-making, resource allocation, and sustainable urban development.”
Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact on Somanya’s development and its surrounding areas, including the university itself.
He gave the assurance of the university’s full support for initiatives promoting sustainable growth in Yilo Krobo, noting; “This project offers a roadmap for the orderly development of Somanya, including our university and its surrounding areas.”
The Land Sector Agencies, including LUSPA, LiSAG, the Office of Stool Lands, and the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission, were officially inaugurated in May 2021 to assist Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in planning areas with rapidly expanding land-based investments.
This project, also launched in May 2021, seeks to identify fast-growing communities and create base maps and local plans to ensure structured urbanization.
Yilo Krobo Municipality was selected as the pilot for this initiative, resulting in the preparation of base maps and local plans for Somanya, Nkurakan, Oterkporlu, and Klo-Agogo.
The project’s goal is to ensure these communities develop in an organized manner that meets residents’ needs while fostering sustainable growth.
The stakeholders’ engagement was a pivotal step in updating the public on the project’s progress and encouraging their active participation in the planning process.
GNA
DL/KOA