The Minister of Inner City and Zongo Development, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has assured Ghanaians of Government’s determination to improve the livelihoods of 4.6 million residents living in Zongo communities across the country.
The Minister said he was determined to work hard to change the negative tag placed on Zongo communities as being places of “violent and storehouse of hooligans” and make sure they lived dignified lives with integrity.
He said the Ministry had conducted a baseline assessment on the needs of Zongo communities in five regions including Upper East, Upper West, Bono-Ahafo, Eastern and Central regions to provide social interventions to alleviate poverty in those areas.
He noted that the survey discovered that there were 1,080 Zongo communities in 66 districts and 133 towns nationwide made up of multifaceted ethnic groups contributing towards the development of the nation, hence their needs must be of national priority.
Dr Abdul-Hamid gave the assurance when he took his turn at the Meet-the Press series in Accra, on Tuesday.
The media encounter afforded him the opportunity to render account of his stewardship, achievements and challenges of the Ministry and chart the way forward.
He said 300 women in Zongo communities in the Greater Accra Region would receive training to improve packaging of notable Zongo delicacies to enhance their profit margin.
Touching on the water and sanitation situation in Zongo communities, Dr Abdul-Hamid said the Ministry had constructed 15 water systems in 15 Zongo communities in 10 districts across the country, with nine of them completed.
Gyankrom Zongo near Nsawam, Sabon Zongo (Nsawam), Kotokoli, Adeiso Zongo, Asuokaw, Sabon Zongo in Asamankese, Asesewa Zongo and Somanya Zongo in the Eastern Region are some of the beneficiaries.
He added that the Ministry had also dredged the Aboabo Storm Drain in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region in the bid to addressing perennial floods caused by siltation.
More so, he said, a total of 994 metres of tertiary drains had been completed and cited the Joemalas Lane in Madina Zongo (497metres), Nyame Daaye lane at Madina (497metres), while “Operation Clean Zongo” was instituted to ensure clean communities, with 40 tonnes of solid waste evacuated from such exercise.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid said the Zongo communities had the history of unearthing talents for the country and, therefore, government had been constructing Astro-Turfs and green parks to be used as recreational centres for festivals, Eid prayers, Christian conventions, unearthing talents and fostering unity for accelerated development.
Madina, Kyebi, Walewale, Bolgatanga, Salaga, Old Tafo Sakasaka Park and Yeji are some of communities where the Astro-Turfs and green parks had been constructed.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid said the Astro-Turfs had facilities such as football pitches, flood lights, 1000-capacity spectator stands, VIP Lounge, changing rooms and public washrooms.
Additionally, there are inner parameters and boreholes for watering the lawn for maintenance, and that each Astro-Turf was estimated to cost between three and five million Ghana cedis, depending on the facilities available.
He said the Zongo Development Act 2017 (Act 964) had been passed while the President had appointed an Administrator and board of directors to manage the Fund.
The Minister gave the assurance that processes were going on for a Legislative Instrument to be drafted to operationalise the Fund regarding the disbursement of monies, withdrawal, revocation or approval of funding and limit of disbursement.
Additionally, a Secretariat had been acquired at Abelemkpe in Accra to accommodate the administrative staff of the Fund.
