Tema — This year's centralised Greater Accra Regional Independence Day celebration will cut cost by about GH¢1.5 million, Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has disclosed.
Although he did not state the total budget for the event, the Minister noted that, Ghana stands to save about GH¢30 million if the centralised celebration is replicated in other regions.
He said the Tema Metropolis would host the regional celebration following consultation with various stakeholders including the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), 29 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and Regional Security Council.
Mr Quartey was speaking at Tema during a meeting with Assembly Members of the various MMDAs in the region ahead of the planned three-day clean-up exercise in the metropolis.
The meeting followed a similar engagement with Chief Executives of the MMDAs, trader associations, residents and staff of the MMDAs on preparations for the regional celebration.
He noted that the Assembly members in the region were critical if the plans to clean the Tema Metropolis as part of the regional celebration were to be a success.
The Regional Minister therefore called on them to lead in the roles assigned to their respective Assemblies.
He said, the Tema Metropolis had been zoned into 14 areas with two Assemblies assigned to supervise the clean-up exercise in those areas.
Citing an example, the Tema Manhean zone, he noted, would be under the supervision of Ablekuma North and Krowor Municipal Assemblies while Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly and Accra Metropolitan Assembly would take care of activities at Motorway Overpass to Traffic Light (1, 4, 5, and 6).
Mr Quartey said the RCC would, in the coming weeks, engage all stakeholders to re-strategise on the implementation of the clean your frontage to awaken interest and ensure resident participation.
"I urge you to take initiatives in your electoral area. Lead and the electorates will follow. Ensure continuity to sustain the clean-up of the metropolis. Play your roles and the exercise will be successful," he stated.
He said about 600 personnel from the security agencies, as well as 600 personnel of the City Response Team would be deployed for the exercise.
The Regional Minister called on all residents and business owners to come out to clean their frontages saying that "all those who fail to do so will be summoned for the appropriate action."
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On behalf of the other Assembly Members, Joseph Korto, Dean of the Greater Accra Regional Assembly Members, pledged to offer their support to ensure the success of the clean-up exercise.
Last month, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), announced that, as part of activities for the centralised regional celebration, all 29 MMDAs in the region and Zoomlion, would from today to March 4, undertake an extensive Operation Clean Your Frontage (OCYF) sanitation enforcement and clean-up exercise within the Tema Metropolis.
The event would include free health screening and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration and Inter-MMDA Quiz at the Junior High School (JHS) level.
Also, the celebration would involve anniversary indoor games, net-pulling with fisher folks at the seashore, boxing bout, and a football match at Tema New Town Astroturf.
The Regional Minister said the RCC had engaged all stakeholders including the Tema Traditional Authority, and the formal and informal sectors for effective participation in the clean-up exercise.
