Minister Pledges To Resolve Boundary Disputes In Greater Accra

Mr Ishmael Ashitey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, has pledged with the support of a committee to resolve the boundary disputes between Ledzokuku–Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) and the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly.

The Minister said he was also aware of the incidence of boundary disputes between the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) and LEKMA and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly and would work assiduously to bring the issue to its logical conclusion for the benefits of all.

“I would need the maximum co-operation of all stakeholders to speed up the process for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to have a clearly defined boundary devoid of altercation” he added.

Mr Ashitey gave the assurance in Accra when he led an entourage with his departmental heads to pay a familiarisation visit to the staff of LEKMA and TMA to interact with them and chart the way forward for the assembly’s development.

He said the boundary rift between the assemblies had led to loss of revenue, as the companies situated within the disputed areas could not identify which assembly had the legitimate right to collect taxes and levies from them.

The Minister urged the assemblies to co-operate and dialogue to resolve the issue since revenue mobilisation within the assemblies was crucial for developmental projects.

He urged the staff to strive to build a region devoid of political, ethnic and religious affiliation and pursue a holistic agenda to address the challenges confronting the country.

Mr Ashitey tasked the Assemblies to monitor the financial and material resources and ensure effective use of all available resources for the achievement of planned programmes, goals and targets.

He urged the Assemblies to take practical steps to address the incidence of open defecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse especially into the lagoons and the seas at the beaches.

Mr Ashitey expressed concerns confronting the Assemblies such as flooding and waste management, and urged the authorities to enforce the bye-laws to serve as deterrent to offenders who flout the regulations.

Mr Kojoe Dekpo, the Municipal Co-ordinating Director of LEKMA on behalf of the staff pledged the assembly’s commitment and support to the Minister to fashion out programmes to the benefit of the area.

The Assembly expressed worry about GETfund awarding new contracts to contractors while the old projects were uncompleted, and urged the Minister to ensure that all contracts go through the right procurement process to ensure transparency.

Mr Emmanuel Nortey, the Metro-Co-ordinating Director of TMA commended the Minister for his appointment and called for staff training to build their capacity to be abreast of emerging issues for redress.

Some of the staff appealed to the Minister to work on the accommodation, drainage system to ensure free flow of waste to ease flooding and encroachment of school lands in the municipality.