Accra, Aug 26, GNA- Residents of La in the La Dadekotopon Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have asked the Municipal Assembly to fast track efforts at completing ongoing projects for rapid development of the area.
They said they were unhappy with the pace at which projects and policies were being implemented and urged the Assembly to speed up progress of work.
Mr Samuelson Ala Laryea, a community member, said though they were excited about the commencement of work on priority projects initiated last year, their “undue delays” were a cause of worry to many people.
“Some of the projects they promised to do last year most of them are still ongoing. My major problem has to do with reshaping faded zebra crossings which they said are also ongoing. Reshaping a faded zebra crossing and road maps like sign boards can’t be still ongoing after a year,” he lamented.
Mr Laryea, therefore, appealed to the authorities to quicken their steps in addressing such challenges to avoid unforeseen calamities.
“We are begging them to address that because we cannot send our children to school and on their return they get knocked down by a vehicle,” he said.
He made the call at a social auditing engagement organised by the La Dadekotopon Municipal (LaDMA) office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) with support from the Municipal Assembly.
The forum, held under the theme: “Citizens for Transparency and Accountability,” sought to empower community members to demand accountability from duty bearers, and to promote community ownership of projects.
It forms part of the Commission’s Anti-Corruption, Rule of Law and Accountability Programme (ARAP).
Mr Winfred Quarshie, another community member reiterated the need for authorities, particularly the Municipal Assembly and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), to strictly enforce road traffic regulations in the Municipality to curb road indiscipline and crashes.
The ARAP programme funded by the European Union (EU) is targeted at reducing corruption and improving accountability.
The community members at a 2019 social auditing and accountability forum proposed projects and policies to, which the local authorities made commitments to address.
As part of this year’s forum, the local authorities were therefore asked to render account on progress made on the projects and policies.
The review however, showed that some projects including the construction of two storm drains, community library, repair works on broken down and non-functioning traffic lights and faded zebra crossings, as well as enforcement of road traffic regulations were at various stages of completion and enforcement.
The reverend Solomon Kotey-Nikoi, the Municipal Chief Executive of LaDMA assured the community of the Assembly’s commitment to ensure that all projects were completed on time.
Some officials from the Assembly said COVID-19 had caused the delay in the implementation of many projects and policies.
The MCE said the Assembly had deployed city guards to monitor and address sanitation and road traffic situations to ensure discipline in the community.
Mrs Gloria Amarkai Kudo, the LaDMA NCCE commended the community members for policing and bringing to fore, projects and policies which needed urgent redress.
The forum was attended by Vincent Odotei Sowah, the Member of Parliament for the area, Nii Koofeh IV, La Shikiteele and Madam Evelyn Gyimah from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
