Ngmetsokope:Ningo-Prampram The Ningo-Prampram District Assembly has outlined its key development priorities for the year 2027, while also identifying several challenges that impede its operations, such as staffing shortages, inadequate office accommodation, and the lack of a final waste-disposal site.
According to Ghana News Agency, these issues were brought to light during a town hall meeting organized for the Dawa Area Council at the Divine Healers Church in Ngmetsokope. During the meeting, the assembly presented its development activities, discussed planned interventions, and engaged with residents about local governance and service delivery.
The event gathered residents, traditional authorities, opinion leaders, assembly members, unit committee members, and other stakeholders from the electoral areas under the Dawa Area Council. Mr. Rafael Uriel Nartey, the District Chief Executive, emphasized the importance of participatory governance, transparency, and social accountability, urging residents and businesses to pay their taxes and statutory charges promptly. He noted that internally generated revenue is crucial for financing infrastructure and public services.
Mr. Godwin Kotoku, the Assistant District Development Planner, presented the district's changing development context, highlighting the transition from a predominantly rural area to an increasingly urban one. This transition necessitates coordinated planning to meet the district's economic, environmental, social, and institutional needs.
The assembly's development priorities include improving healthcare access, increasing school enrollment, expanding planned settlements, strengthening development control, improving sanitation, and boosting crop and livestock production. Photographic evidence was used to showcase projects such as the construction of a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound at Someh and other infrastructure improvements.
Furthermore, the assembly has conducted activities to improve sanitation and environmental management, including supplying tools and skip containers for waste collection, organizing clean-up exercises, and conducting health screenings and other support initiatives. For 2027, the assembly plans to support a 24-hour district economy, improve educational and health facilities, and undertake various infrastructural projects.
Despite these efforts, the assembly faces challenges such as inadequate office accommodation, personnel shortages, and taxpayers' reluctance to fulfill their obligations. Mr. Charles Kissi Amakye, Head of Works at NiPDA, advised residents to consult the Works Department before beginning construction projects to ensure compliance with safety and financial considerations.
The meeting concluded with a budget presentation and a question-and-answer session, allowing residents to voice concerns and seek clarifications on issues impacting their communities.