President direct assemblies to name all streets within 18months

President Mahama gave the directive when he launched the National Urban Policy Framework and Action at Mantse Agbonaa in Accra.

The framework and action plan set out programmes and guidelines for an orderly development of urban settlements with adequate housing, infrastructure and services.

They also seek to create efficient institutions and congenial working environment in the urban areas to promote the country's socio-economic development.

The World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Development Programme and the governments of Germany and the Netherlands are to support the execution of the projects.

The President said even in cities in some African countries that were more chaotic than those of Ghana, "taxi drivers take you directly to your house."

Therefore, he said, Ghanaians should be able to have all the streets named and houses numbered to facilitate identification and movement.

He said  the government was seeking technical assistance to support the MMDAs in the execution of the street naming and house numbering exercise.

Touching on the Bus Transit System, President Mahama urged the officials to speed up work on it to ease the traffic situation in Accra.

"We cannot continue as a city without a reliable transport system," he said.

Speaking generally on challenges faced by urban centres, the President said urban areas had become so dominant now due mainly rural urban migration.

For instance, he said, in the past, 60 per cent of Ghana's population lived in the rural areas with 40 per cent in urban centres.

However, now 53 per cent of Ghana's population lived in urban centres with the 47 per cent living in rural areas, he said.

President Mahama said increased population in the cities had put pressure on the economic and social facilities in the cities, and thus increasing poverty among urban dwellers.

Therefore, he said, the framework and action plan were meant to create the needed facilities in urban areas to contain the increased population.
The President, therefore, charged government officials to show commitment to the implementation of the projects and programmes in the framework and action plan.

He said he would review the progress of work within the two years, and indicated that the officials did not have any excuse for failure.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Akwasi Opong-Fosu, said the framework "represents a bold attempt to comprehensively intervene in urban sector to facilitate and promote the sustainable development of Ghanaian cities and towns."

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Julius Debrah, said the framework could make it possible for opportunities created by urbanisation to be harnessed for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Story by Musah Yahaya Jafaru