By Justina Hilda Paaga
Sekondi June26, GNA – The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), last year received GHS 19,551,160.34 as its share of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) allocation to execute several development projects in the metropolis.
Mr Frederick Faustinus Faidoo Mayor of the assembly, who made this known during a pressing in Sekondi said 25 percent of the amount was used on the 24-hour economy market initiative, while 20 percent was used for legacy infrastructure.
According to the Mayor, 10 percent each was allocated to education infrastructure, sanitation, water supply and health, while five percent was allocated for administrative works.
Mr Faidoo said about 14 projects have been awarded including the construction of classroom blocks, CHPs compounds, drilling and mechanizing of boreholes as well as the repairs and painting of the premises of the assembly and residence of the mayor.
The mayor indicated that many of the projects started in October last year were at advanced stages of completion with a few completed and handed over for use.
On Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), the mayor said an amount of GHS 143,187.60 was allocated to the assembly and it was expended to procure livelihood support items for 21 beneficiaries, while eight individuals were also supported with their education, medical care and small-scale business activities, adding that the assembly also supported two PWDs associations to implement their programmes and activities.
Touching on streets lights maintenance, Mr Faidoo said in the first phase 11 communities and areas were supplied with streetlights while, the faulty ones were worked.
He mentioned the beneficiary communities to include Essikado main street, European town, Ketan main street, Takoradi Amanful, Mankessim white house, Essikafombatam NO1 , MC to Paa Grant roundabout, Kwame Nkrumah roundabout to MC, Chapel Hill, Beach Road and New Takoradi.
On waste management and sanitation, the mayor said the metropolis generated an average of 168.9 tons of solid waste daily, adding that 118.7 tons household waste was generated daily, with non-household waste recording 50.2 tons per day.
The mayor expressed concern about the spill over and waste evacuation, noting that the increasing pressure on communal containers has been contributing to frequent overflow at various refuse dump sites
He said the insufficient operational vehicles, poor management of communal container sites by attendants, insufficient communal container for accessible communities, bad road condition at the final disposal site, activities of junkies collecting and disposing waste at unauthorised places as well as households and shop operators package waste and dumped them around the market circle and communal container site was hampering waste collection and management in the metropolis.
On waste characterization, Mr Faidoo said 52 percent of waste collected were kitchen, canteen, garden and park waste, plastics dense 26 percent, textiles six percent, paper and cardboard three percent, composite two percent while, glass, metals, plastic films recorded one percent each with others recording eight percent, while special waste and wood recorded zero percent.
On the Way forward on waste management and sanitation, the mayor said the assembly would enforce all the sanitation bylaws, intensify public education and sensitisation, ensure short term door-door waste collection arrangement, short term monitoring and enforcement through the setup of special environmental sanitation taskforce as well the installation of CCTV cameras.
On the long-term solutions, he said in collaboration with Salifu plastic recycling enterprise the assembly would be transforming plastic waste into jobs, encourage collection, buy and process plastic waste.
He hinted that the assembly’s vision to convert waste to energy resulted in the engagement with SUS environment, a Chinese company to establish C40 integrated waste bio digester and recycling plant to generate 450 megawatts of electricity.
Touching on the control of livestock and stray animals, he said inventory on location and owners details have been collected and meetings have been held with cattle owners in the metropolis as well as radio sensitisation have been conducted.
He said to address the situation, the assembly was going to prosecute all offenders per the assembly’s bylaws, adding that currently the assembly was prosecuting 12 herdsmen.
On disaster management, the mayor said NNADMO had put in place several interventions ahead of the rainy season, adding that public education has been intensified,21 flood prone areas have also been evaluated.
He said more than seven critical drainages and a lagoon have been desilted and dredged, adding that several trees have been pruned with others removed.
Touching on interventions by the department of Agriculture, he said the assembly was making progress in promoting inclusive and modern agricultural practices in line with the national development priorities.
On the Feed Ghana programme day old chicks (Nkokokitintin ) initiative, he said as at the end of 2025 more than 1000 potential poultry farmer groups, 400 household/individuals and institutions have been registered, adding that the distr5ibution of the birds was expected to commerce in July 2026
Mr Faidoo said on the tree crop development Authority programme the STMA was expected to receive 35,00 coconut and 40,000 oil palm seedlings for the 2026 planting season. Noting that the STMA urban demonstration farm would continue to serve as a practical training centre for skills development in climate smart urban agriculture.
On roads especially the big push roads he said the assembly would continue to collaborate with the consultant and contractor to sensitise and engage affected property owners.
He said seven selected roads made up of the Axim Road, Shipper Council, Degraft- Johnson, Harbour, Sekondi and Adiembra roads were being executed by Viabuild Africa NV(Belgium),noting that physical progress of work was 92.75 per cent after 39 months on site.
Mr Faidoo said as part of the Green Cities Infrastructure and Energy programme,28 roads covering 60 km and drains are being worked on in the metropolis to improve upon mobility and flood resilience.
On Markets and transport infrastructure, he said the assembly would construct a bus terminal at Nkroful junction, a multipurpose storey car park, redevelop a haulage truck terminal at Sofokrom as well as redevelop the Sekondi market, construct a lorry station complex at main Spain and also redevelop the Eburufom market.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adde