CRITICAL AREAS OF COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE
1.0SOLID AND LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT: WASTE DISPOSAL, WASTE RECYCLING, WASTE TO ENERGY AND LIQUID WASTE TREATMENT
It is common knowledge that Environmental Sanitation is among the powerful drivers of human development as it affects the quality of life of the people i.e. improving health and wealth creation. It cuts across all sectors of the economy including those that relate to health delivery, environmental protection, improvement of human settlements and services, tourism and general economic productivity.
In Ghana, it comprises a number of complementary activities including the provision and maintenance of sanitary facilities, the provision of services, public education, regulation and legislation, funding, research and development.
1.1CURRENT STATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION AT THE
METROPOLITAN AND MUNICIPAL LEVEL
Waste Estimates
NO. / METROPOLITAN/MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY / TONNES PER DAY1 / Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) / 3,000
2 / Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) / 1,400
3 / Ga West Municipal Assembly (GWMA) / 1,600
4 / La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly (LaNMA) / 700
5 / La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) / 400
6 / Adentan Municipal Assembly (AdMA) / 400
7 / Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) / 350
8 / Ga South Municipal Assembly
(GSMA) / 168
9 / Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (AsHMA) / 155
10 / Ga East Municipal Assembly (GEMA) / 140
11 / Ga Central Municipal Assembly (GCMA) / 125
Excreta Management
Public toilets (mainly water closets, KVIPs, and aqua privies – 31%
Access to pit latrines of different levels – 22%
Households with access to KVIPs -7%
WCs (flush toilets) – 9%
Unhygienic pan or bucket latrines 4%;
Only Accra and Tema have a limited extent of sewerage systems
Few sewerage treatment plants in the Region are functional
MMDAs generally do not have the capacity to operate and maintain such facilities
1.2 CHALLENGES
Enforcement Management
Inability to effectively enforce and sanction existing laws/regulations;
Breakdown of enforcement;
Ineffective environmental sanitation management
Narrow view of environmental sanitation issues – focus on data collection and promotion of hygiene and improved latrines alone;
Absence of poor implementation of District Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plans (DESSAPS);
Ineffective co-ordination of environmental sanitation service delivery;
Increasing burden of managing environmental sanitation on MMDAs budgets.
1.3 WAY FORWARD
Deepening the level of participation of the private sector particularly in the provision and management of waste treatment, recycling, and disposal facilities, transfer stations and bulk waste transfer to disposal under contract, franchise, concession, BOT, BOOT or other arrangements;
Provision and management of septic tankers, on a fully commercial basis;
Construction, rehabilitation and management of Waste Treatment Plants;
2.0 CITY MANAGEMENT: BEST PRACTICES IN CITY AND URBAN
MANAGEMENT
The Greater Accra Region has a population of 4,010,054. A comparison with the 1960 population figure of 491,817 present an eight-fold increase within a period of 50 years from 1960-2010. The Region has the highest population density in the country and has an annual growth rate of 3.1 per cent which is largely due to migration.
The rapid population increase has culminated in a deteriorating city environment resulting in extensive urban sprawl, pressure on public infrastructural services and extreme congestion particularly in the city Centre.
As a result, the improvement of urban infrastructure such as road networks, water supply and sewage systems and solid waste management has become a pressing issue which requires concerted actions not only in Accra but the sub urban districts.
2.1PLANNING APPROACH
Mid-term and long-term comprehensive and strategic development plans are required for the Greater Accra Sub-Region. This include the formulation of a Spatial Development Framework for the entire Greater Accra region; a Structure Plan to guide the development and/or redevelopment of the area; to formulate implementation and management plans for the Structure Plan; and to carry out relevant technology transfer to local counterparts to induce sustainability.
An initiative to construct a coastal protection wall along the Nungua beach at Ledzokuku-Krowor, through La and to Langma in the Ga South Municipality would help conserve the white sandy beaches bordering the south western coast of the Region and also boost the tourism industry.
2.2EXPECTED OUTPUT
The implementation of these strategies are to be linked with combined infrastructure and services development with clear orientation to socio-economic development and paying attention to environmental conservation and disaster management to enhance an integrated development of the Greater Accra Region. Stakeholder co-ordination and participation would be required in the process to forestall conflicts of different interest groups and for the viability of the project. These consist of government agencies, representatives of civil society, the private sector including Community-Based Organizations, NGOs and business associations.
3.0 EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES
As part of efforts to foster co-operation and build effective relationship with development partners, periodic organization of exchange programmes with the participation of Ministers, MMDCEs, Technocrats/Administrators and Party Leaders in capacity building programmes would strongly enhance such an agenda.
It is significant to note that management of Cities in the developing world is structurally different and urbanization has become an emerging national issue in Ghana. Stakeholders in urban management issues cut across national and local governments, civil society, the media and the private sector.
The understanding of politicians, public servants and citizens about urban development and the need to have an inclusive approach and environmental orientation to addressing the challenges is needed to cause a positive change. Currently, there are varying views among politicians, citizens and city managers in the approaches adopted in managing urban challenges. This has slowed down the level of development with a lot of scarce resources spent on initiatives that are neither sustainable nor coordinated.
As the general support and commitment of the people is required to successfully drive the agenda, there is the need to create awareness, share experiences and learn lessons using exchange programmes as one of the tools. It is recognized as an opportunity to transform attitudes and how we think and act in development co-operation.The overall objective is to improve the local and national government management of urban growth by exposure to good urban governance practices, networking, agreement on and eventual implementation of follow-up actions.
4.0AGRICULTURE: CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION THROUGH IRRIGATION
CURRENT SITUATION
Agriculture has a central socio-economic position in Ghana and in the Region. This sector accounts for about 65 percent of the work force, about 40 percent of the gross domestic product, and about 40 percent of foreign currencies acquired through exports.
The Greater Accra region has a comparative advantage in Crop Production in the following; Maize, cassava, rice, cowpea, mango, pawpaw, pineapple, banana, watermelon and vegetables such as tomato, okra, garden egg, cabbage, carrot, onions, pepper, and lettuce, etc.
Although agriculture is a key part of the country’s economy, the structure of the sector is vulnerable because it is basically rain fed. Droughts and other types of unseasonable weather pose risks for farmers. Under these conditions, irrigation development offers the promise of greater food security and the rural-area development by ensuring year round agricultural production.Existing irrigation facilities comprise the Dawhenya and Kpong Schemes which are noted for rice and vegetable production, Weija Irrigation Scheme for vegetables production.
4.1GROWTH STRATEGIES
Growth in the agricultural economy may be achieved both through extensification, and intensification. Irrigation is central to the intensification strategy. Irrigation potential is huge but untapped. The Region has comparative advantage due to its strategic geographic location i.e., abundant land and water resources, proximity to major demand outlets, including European and regional markets coupled with a reliable port and air transport system.
There is a need to balance irrigation development based on large-scale commercial farming (mainly driven by foreign and local investment) with smallholder-oriented irrigation development focused on rural poverty reduction and food security.
4.2AGRO-PROCESSING
What is lacking is the access and proximity to processing industries especially those into fruit processing along the chain of value addition. The growth and huge potential in the vegetable and citrus industry that produces raw tomatoes, mangoes, pineapples, oranges and pawpaw could serve as a reliable source of raw material for the establishment of an agro-processing plant to add value to these agro products.
Currently, the Region is promoting small scale and cottage processing industries including the processing of fresh milk into local cheese (Wagashi), yoghurt etc., cashew processing into alcoholic beverages and roasted cashew nuts, pineapple into drink and juice, processing of soya into soya milk, soya gari, soya kebab etc.
5.0 SUSTAINABLE JOB CREATION: SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE
MANUFACTURING HUB/ENCLAVE
The Region has a strong potential in the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the Manufacturing sector, Commerce and Tourism. Salt production is an emerging potential in the Mining Sector. These are the major economic areas that provide employment to over 80 per cent of employees in the informal sector.
5.1CURRENT SITUATION
The current production levels of these sectors are less than 50% largely due to the application of artisanal based technology. In fact, most of these enterprises are small & micro and medium scale producers.
Ghana as a country has attracted a huge number of investors mainly due to the conducive social, political and economic environment in which they can build and grow their investments. The inflow of such investments would potentially result in job creation and ultimately reduce unemployment in the Region.
5.2 GROWTH STRATEGIES
It is envisaged that a realistic effort to bring such Small and Medium Scale enterprises together will create an industrial hub or an enclave to further boost production and create more job opportunities and employment avenues.
In this regard, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with the District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies has initiated an agenda based on the directive of the President to focus on the SME sector and to create the conducive atmosphere to attract investors and investments into the Region.
6.0YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS TRAINING
The Region is focused on empowering tomorrow’s leadersand thus seeks to provide resources, programs and events that encourage leadership in today’s youth. Our aim is to provide programs and projects for younger generations to build self confidence, set goals, assert themselves and become leaders and make a difference by giving back to their communities.
6.1CHINESE SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAMME
We seekChinese government support for the introduction and retooling of the Youth Leadership and Skills Training Program to be located at Afienya. This is to train the youth in Information Technology, Agriculture (Crop and Animal Farming), Carpentry (Furniture and Woodworks), Welding and Fabrication, Catering, Dress Making and Fashion Designing.
7.0HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE
Unfortunately, the Region has not been able to provide affordable housing to meet increasing demand. This has led to the springing up of several slums in Accra. There is the urgent need for intervention from external sources. It is important to point out that the RCC would assist investors in acquiring well documented land for development. Thus we propose the following:
Provision of housing schemes for low income earners
High rise buildings
Alley pavement project
Environmental management (parks, tree planting, grassing etc.)
1