Workshop On Street Naming Held
A one-day National Stakeholders Workshop on the implementation of the street naming and property addressing system in the country has taken place in Accra.
The workshop , organized by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development[MLGRD] has the objectives to afford participants the opportunity to prepare an implementation plan of action with deadlines as well as financing mechanisms to enable a nationwide implementation of the project.
The occasion also afforded participants the opportunity to discuss and share ideas on the advantages and challenges associated with the project's implementation.
In his keynote address, Sector Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, hon. Akwasi Opong-Fosu , said the NDC Government is cognizant of a proper street naming system as a major key to effective urban management and national development, hence its commitment to ensure its full implementation.
He bemoans the situation of not naming streets and numbering buildings in urban- Ghana which is seriously affecting revenue mobilization and the activities of agencies responsible for public utilities, security, fire and ambulance services.
There is no estimate of how much this is costing the country but it could run into millions of Ghana cedis per year, the Minister said.
He indicated that in the absence of a National Policy Framework for the naming of streets and property numbering, different approaches have been adopted over the years in addition to the use of a range of software application for the management of the data at the various Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies [MMDAs].
He pointed out that His Ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders developed a Comprehensive National Policy Framework and Operational Guidelines to facilitate the street naming implementation as well as property addressing system in the country.
The Policy, hon Opong-Fosu continued is aimed at ensuring harmonization, consistency, efficiency and standardization of street address system in the various MMDAs.
He therefore mentioned that the system if well implemented will amongst others increase municipal revenues, improve urban management and enable utility concessionaires to manage their networks more effectively.
He charged the MMDAs to immediately implement the street naming systems in their respective jurisdictions within 18 months as directed by His Excellency the President of the country.
He further called on the MMDAs to use their mandate as Planning Authorities to ensure proper urban planning and management to better the well-being of their people since Local Authorities hold the mandate which is key to changing Ghana's urban areas and building opportunities.
'' we can have proper street naming and property addressing system in the country when there are proper spatial plans in place and also maintain a regime of effectual enforcement of planning laws''.
In order to deepen decentralization and local governance, he promised that they will continue as a Ministry to strengthen the capacity of MMDAs for accountable and effective performance and service delivery.
He went ahead to say that his Government will move beyond composite budgeting to the larger issue of fiscal decentralization and especially ensure the finalization and implementation of the inter-governmental fiscal transfers.
He announced that the Local Governance and Decentralization Program [LOGODEP] is supporting the implementation of street addressing system in Prestea Huni Valley , Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Sefwi Wiawso, Bibiani-Anhiawso-Bekwai and Shama Districts in the Western Region.
The World Bank through the Ghana Land Administration Project Phase two is assisting the Accra Metropolitan Assembly with an amount of US$ 3.86 million to implement the system in the Metropolis.
He underscored the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Project funded by the AFD which has Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, the Tamale and the Ho Metropolitan Assemblies as beneficiaries as other projects being rolled out with the street addressing component.