Accra: State and World Bank officials have embarked on a monitoring visit to ongoing projects in the West Gonja Municipal Assembly that fall under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme. The monitoring visit was to assess the progress of work, quality of execution, and ensure adherence to contract timelines and specifications.
According to Ghana News Agency, the monitoring team comprised Mr Yakubu Yussif Castro, the West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, accompanied by officers of the Assembly and a delegation from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and the World Bank. The projects inspected were the Shopping Centre at Damongo and the Cattle Market at Busunu. These projects are central to enhancing commercial activities and improving livestock trading in the Municipality.
The Shopping Centre is expected to provide modern trading space for businesses, create jobs, and boost commercial activity in the Municipality. Meanwhile, the Cattle Market project seeks to improve livestock trading, sanitation, and revenue mobilization in the area. It is designed to offer better amenities for traders and buyers, reduce congestion, and promote a more organized trading environment.
During the visit, the monitoring team engaged contractors and consultants on the sites to address challenges and ensure value for money. Mr Daniel Ohene Adu, the Contract Management Specialist from the Local Government Service, who led the delegation from the Ministry, expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the Shopping Centre. He urged the contractor to maintain quality standards and meet the project deadline. Furthermore, he emphasized the need for proper drainage, sheds, and holding areas to meet the needs of the livestock community.
He assured stakeholders that regular supervision would continue to ensure that the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme delivered its intended impact of improving infrastructure and livelihoods in the Municipality. Mr Castro commended the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and the World Bank for their continued support. He reaffirmed the Assembly's commitment to ensuring that all projects were completed on time and to specification, and urged community members to take ownership of the facilities when completed.
The Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme is a government initiative supported by the World Bank to improve urban management and basic services in the country's secondary cities, which are mainly municipalities outside Accra and Kumasi.