The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has engaged with youth groups across the city to highlight its programmes, activities, and achievements under the leadership of Mayor Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey since her tenure began in October 2021.
The event, which aimed at fostering transparency and collaboration, brought together students from Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC), Central University, University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA), University of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), bloggers, and youth activists, among others.
Among the key achievements outlined during the dialogue, the AMA in the education sector completed a 3-story, 18-unit classroom block at Independence Avenue Cluster of Schools and a 2-unit KG block at Bubiashie 1 Basic School.
Other completed projects include a single-story Accra City Childcare Centre at Old Fadama, a 3-story, 9-unit classroom block for Bishop Mixed School, and a 14-seater W/C toilet with a mechanised borehole at various schools, as well as the declaration of Accra as the 2023 World Book Capital.
In revenue mobilisation, the AMA re-evaluated and collected data on 8,513 businesses, successfully piloted a centralised digital platform for revenue collection in Ashiedu Keteke, and partnered with Smart City for vehicle parking management.
Special initiatives under Mayor Sackey highlighted during the dialogue include the Economic Women Empowerment Summit held in July 2023, the Mayor’s Street Sweepers Special Initiative, increasing sweepers from 34 to 200, and public-private partnerships for redevelopment projects at Rawlings Park, Makola No. 2 Market, and Opera Square, as well as a social insurance and NHIS scheme registration for informal waste workers.
Health sector achievements mentioned in the dialogue include the commissioning of a 2-storey maternity theatre block for Kaneshie Polyclinic, the donation of medical equipment to various hospitals, the upgrading of Mamprobi Polyclinic to a hospital, and an ongoing Agenda 111 government hospital project at Kaneshie.
Identified efforts in water and sanitation also include the construction of boreholes at Bukom, 10-seater toilet facilities at Bubuashie, Mamprobi, and Agbogbloshie, and the daily evacuation of 1,200 metric tonnes of solid waste, among others.
Other development projects initiated by the AMA under the leadership of Mayor Sackey were the completion of electoral area projects such as concrete cover slabs, metal grating, streetlights, disaster prevention through the GARID project, public health initiatives, an asphaltic overlay of 19.35 km of roads and the establishment of a sanitation court.
Speaking to journalists after the event, Mayor Sackey emphasised the crucial role of the youth in the city’s quest towards development and cleanliness while assuring the AMA’s commitment to making Accra a cleaner city.
“The youth are the country’s forerunners, and their informed involvement brings peace, hence the importance of communicating my achievements over the years,” she said.
Mayor Sackey touched on the revenue digitalization agenda and revealed that, after several dialogues, traders have agreed to participate in the new system, which aims to streamline revenue collection.
She informed the youth and residents of Accra to prepare for a massive clean-up exercise spearheaded by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) ahead of the Howomo festivities.