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Ghana's capital, Accra, within the coming months, will receive financial and logistical support to help improve infrastructural and living conditions of the people.

This was disclosed at a stakeholders conference in Accra yesterday to officially commence processes to aid the implementation of the framework for the 100 Resilient Cities (100 RC) in the world.

Out of 300 cities in the world who competed to be among the 100 Resilient Cities Initiative, Accra was selected to help improve its physical and socio-economic development.

The 100RC project, is pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation which is dedicated to helping cities around the world to become more resilient in overcoming challenges in the area of physical infrastructure and socio-economic development engulfing the growth of 21st century countries.

The initiative which would be rolled out within 69 months, will aid the city of Accra to receive financial and logistical support for the establishment of an innovative position of a Chief Resilient Officer who would lead the process.

Addressing the gathering at the agenda setting workshop, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije reaffirmed the commitment of President John Dramani Mahama to making Accra a millennium city in his quest to build a better Ghana.

He said as part of efforts to achieve this goal, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in collaboration with vital institutions of government had embarked on rigorous developmental initiatives which had culminated into Accra’s inclusion in the list of 100 RC in the world after three attempts.

Mr. Vanderpuije, said they applied to be selected to help address the various challenges confronting Accra and its environs.

He said through sharing of ideas and best practices from other cities, Accra would become a better place to live in.

He said the Assembly would assiduously work together with the various stakeholders to help achieve the better Accra as desired.

The President of 100 Resilient cities (100RC), Michael Berkowitz, said that by 2050, 70 per cent of the population in the world would live in cities, and as the population becomes concentrated in the urban areas, the pressure on the available resources would cause its devastation.

In this regard, he said the need to formulate measures to swiftly address these concerns, led to the establishment of the 100 RC dedicated to helping make cities better and adapt to shocks and stresses which might occur.

He said the 100 Cities in the Network would receive four types of support, thus, funding to hire a chief Resilience Officer (CRO), assistance in developing a resilience strategy, access to a platform of resilient tools and services to help design and implement their strategy   and membership in the 100 Cities Network to help improve standards of living.

He said though they were yet to identify the challenges facing Accra to inform their commitment, member cities would receive more than $1 million, with the aid of their sponsors.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Joseph Nii Afotey Agbo, expressed his gratitude to the hard work of the AMA over the years and thanked the Rockefeller Foundation for selecting Accra to be part of the cities.

The minister said the inclusion of Accra had come at the right time to help emulate best practices in other renowned cities in the world to effectively overcome difficulties affecting the growth of the city.

He said in order to outwit the perennial shocks like floods, fire outbreaks, improper disposal of garbage, among others, his outfit, in collaboration with the metropolitan municipal and district Assemblies had instituted a polluter pay policy and disilting as well as constructed drains to address the concerns.

He charged all stakeholders to lend their support in making the initiative a success.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuije advised the AMA to effectively involve the adjoining assemblies within the Greater Accra Region to conclusively implement the necessary strategies for the development of the capital city.

He urged Ghanaians to desist from negative activities which had the tendencies to derail the development of Accra.