Speed up street-naming, property-addressing system — Kwadwo Agyekum

The Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, has called on metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) that have problems with the implementation of the street-naming and property-addressing system (SNPAS) to consult those that have no problems to tap their knowledge and skills.

He also urged the assemblies to not hesitate to contact the Regional Town and Country Planning Department for technical support.

He said some assemblies had made substantial progress in the implementation of the SNPAS using the policy guidelines. He mentioned some of the successful assemblies as Shama, Sefwi Wiawso, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Prestea/ Huni Valley, Bibiani-Anhiawso-Bekwai; Sekondi/Takoradi, Ketu South, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast,  Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem; Kumasi, Suhum, Agona West, Tamale, Techiman, Wa and Ho.

Mr Agyekum was addressing the opening ceremony of a five-day training programme in Sunyani for key staff of the MMDAs in the Brong Ahafo Region. 

The training focused on the Land Use Planning and Management Information Systems (LUPMIS) which is geared towards the implementation of the SNPAS. 

Objective

The objective of the training course was to improve on the knowledge and skills of key staff of the MMDAs in the region on LUPMIS to make its implementation successful.

The platform also discussed the implementation process and devised strategies to surmount any difficulties the MMDAs may be encountering. 

Street identification

Mr Agyekum said street identification went beyond merely giving names to streets and putting numbers on properties.

He said it also involved the creation of spatial data for planning the efficient and effective use of land settlements by applying geographical information systems (GIS) to surmount the myriad of problems hindering urban development.

The deputy minister added that proper street identification had many benefits for MMDAs. He said it helped to increase revenue and brought about improvement in urban planning and management. “Through the use of GIS in planning and managing services by technical departments, the collection of local tax would be improved,” he said.

Initiatives

According to him, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, in the last few months, had taken some steps to speed up the implementation of the SNPAS throughout the country.

He said the ministry had prepared and distributed the street-naming policy guidelines to all MMDAs.

To further facilitate implementation, he added, the ministry had directed all MMDAs to establish GIS units and constitute street-naming task teams.

“The ministry has also organised training programmes for all district co-ordinating directors, staff of the Town and Country Planning and Land Valuation Department and economic planning officers from all the MMDAs to sensitise them to the SNPAS. 

“It is against this background that the ministry, in collaboration with the German Technical Co-operation (GRIT), is providing the final training on LUPMIS for assemblies that have not had such training,” he said.

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