By Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has emphasized the importance of accurate base maps and well-developed local plans in ensuring informed decision-making, appropriate resource allocation, and sustainable urban development in Ghana.
Speaking at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in Somanya, Yilo Krobo Municipality, during a stakeholders’ meeting, Mrs. Awatey reiterated the need for stakeholder involvement in the planning process. The meeting was organized by the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly in collaboration with land sector agencies to discuss prepared base maps and local plans for four communities in the municipality.
Addressing participants, Mrs. Awatey highlighted the significance of including community members, local leaders, technical experts, and government agencies in planning processes to ensure that development initiatives align with the real needs and aspirations of the people.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), Chapman Owusu Sekyere, noted that it is the responsibility of his outfit to prepare base maps and spatial plans for communities to facilitate orderly development. He explained that the engagement with stakeholders was necessary to disseminate findings and recommendations from their report.
Meanwhile, the President of the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LiSAG), Ing. Samuel Larbi Darko, stated that the pilot project in Yilo Krobo Municipality would be replicated nationwide. He called on the government to provide financial support to enable the expansion of the initiative across the country to promote structured urban development.
The Vice-Chancellor of UESD, Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson, expressed optimism that the project would help drive the orderly development of Somanya, including the university and its surrounding areas. He assured stakeholders of the university’s commitment to supporting projects that contribute to the growth of Yilo Krobo.
The Land Sector Agencies, comprising LUSPA, LiSAG, the Office of Stool Lands, and the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission, were inaugurated in 2021 to collaborate with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in strategic land planning. Their goal is to identify fast-growing communities and develop base maps and local plans to ensure organized development.
Yilo Krobo Municipality was selected as the first pilot area under the project, which was launched in May last year. Since then, the agencies have initiated the process of developing base maps and local plans to guide physical development in four communities—Somanya, Nkurakan, Oterkporlu, and Klo-Agogo.
The stakeholders’ engagement was organized to share the outcomes of the project with community members and ensure proper development in the selected areas.
