*Local Govt Minister Calls For Support To Solve Urban Mobility & Accessibility Challenges*
The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Techiman South Constituency in the Bono East Region has emphasized the need for a collaborative approach in addressing the urban mobility and accessibility challenges facing the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).
He highlighted the significant urbanization and population growth in GAMA, which has intensified pressure on transportation infrastructure and services.
Mr. Adjei-Mensah Korsah noted that the challenges of congestion, air pollution, and inefficiencies in public transport require urgent and collective action.
Addressing participants at the close-out event of the Ghana Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (GUMAP) held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra yesterday, the Minister said “The Ministry has collaborated with various partners to formulate policies, devise strategies, and design programmes aimed at improving urban mobility and accessibility.
“However, addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders, including other ministries, departments, agencies, development partners, the private sector, and citizens.”
He outlined key achievements of the GUMAP, a $6 million grant from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), which included household travel surveys, public transport routes and passenger flow mapping, and the introduction of new courses at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). These efforts, according to the Minister, are foundational steps towards a more sustainable urban transportation system.
Mr. Adjei-Mensah Korsah also revealed plans for small-scale pilot safety improvement measures at six critical junctions within the beneficiary Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies.
These improvements are aimed at enhancing road safety for all users and testing the applicability of findings from the project’s studies.
Despite the progress made, the Minister acknowledged that the project has not resolved all the urban mobility and accessibility issues in GAMA.
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover has expressed his dismay over the inactivity of some Municipal and District Assemblies in the region, which he believes is perpetuating indiscipline and indiscriminate building, leading to the proliferation of slums.
He urged the assemblies to wake up from their slumber, emphasizing that there is much work to be done to address the challenges facing the region.
Mr. Titus-Glover specifically charged the Municipal Chief Executives (MCEs) to take action, saying, “All sleeping MCEs should awake, there’s so much work to be done!”
Report by: PKB
