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24.05.2016 Headlines

AMA Secures $750m To Transform Accra

By Ghanaian Chronicle
AMA Secures 750m To Transform Accra
24.05.2016 LISTEN

By Pascal Kafu Abotsi
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) is expected to invest $500 million in the construction of an ultra-modern market in an area of 500 million square meters within the Free Zone enclave of Accra.

Besides, a solar power plant, with a capacity of 100 Megawattas (MW) and a refinery to process hot-rolled steel with a capacity of 500 million tons a year, will soon be visible in the capital city of Accra, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the China City of Shenzhen and the AMA.

At a press briefing in Accra recently, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije said $150 million would be invested in the solar power plant while $100million had been earmarked for the refinery.

Dr. Vanderpuije hinted that business entities and the technical members of both cities would work hand in hand to modernize the manufacturing and storage facilities that would change raw materials into finished goods.

As part of its contribution towards offering facelift to the city of Accra, the Chinese government had pledged its full support to the AMA, through the initiation of developmental projects and the creation of employment.

And to hit the road running, AMA officials paid a visit to New York in the United States and later, Shenzhen to deliberate on issues that would strengthen business entities of both cities with the aim of creating job opportunities for the people.

According to the Accra MCE, the MOU was directed at investing in three projects by using Accra registered company -Shenzhen City Sacher Limited Company.

He also said that, both cities had pledged their supports in areas like education, health, sanitation, culture, among others adding that, the Shenzhen City Sacher Investment Company Limited was the sole agent of the MOU.

Dr. Vanderpuije was optimistic the MOU would bring about exchange of ideas, energy development, personnel, job creation and improvement in agriculture, housing and other beneficial opportunities to both cities.

AMA ups game to avert repeat of June 3 disaster 

In a related development, the mayor has mentioned that all the flood-mitigating measures that the AMA put in place after the flood disaster, which unfortunately killed scores of people and destroyed many properties in June last year, are  yielding results.

The measures, according to Dr. Vanderpuije, had contributed significantly to the reduction of floods in the capital city, citing the heavy downpour that occurred over weekend, but did not record bad news, as a case in point.

Dr. Vanderpuije told Prince Minkah, host of the Executive Breakfast Show on Class FM yesterday that “after June 3 disaster, we have massively been de-silting the Odaw River and the Korle channel leading into the ocean.”

“We have three dredgers on the Korle River and that is the work that they have been doing,” he said, adding: “Given the fact that it has rained continuously for four days in Accra where we know that naturally speaking it would have flooded this city to major heights that has not happened.”

He, however, said more work needed to be done to totally reduce flooding in the city, saying apart from the dredging and de-silting exercise, the AMA would construct the needed drains because the drains in the city currently need reconstruction.

“…we will continue to do the work that must be done. We recognize that we have more work to do. There is the need for us to continue to educate our people about the refuse [situation] and how we deal with refuse in the community,” he pointed out.

Continuing, the Accra Mayor announced that his outfit had awarded we have contracts to companies to register all persons who generate refuse in the municipality.

“The AMA and all District Assemblies must make sure that we get everybody's refuse collected and we must also de-silt our gutters and our drains,” the mayor told Prince Minkah.

When asked whether he felt comfortable talking about Accra floods every year, Mr. Vanderpuije said: “I feel very comfortable this morning. I have always envisaged that if we do the right things, it will give us the results.

“If we do the same things we will get the same results, but when we do the right thing from time to time, it will give us different result and we are doing the right thing”.

He said government was committed to the course, touting that: “His Excellency the President is always talking and making sure that we are dredging the Korle lagoon, we are de-silting the drains to make sure that we do not have a repeat of June 3.

“The second phase is that we will construct the drains; that we will need to work on and I'm sure that will also follow to make this city safer for all of us.”

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