FOUR SURBURBS IN KUMASI TO BE IMPROVED (PAGE 30, DEC 14)

A sod has been cut for work to begin on a project to give four suburbs of the Kumasi metropolis a facelift.
The project, being funded by the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) at the cost of GH¢24 million, involves the improvement of drainage systems and street lights as well as the construction of places of convenience and roads.
The suburbs are Ahinsan, Atonsu, Asokwa and Anloga. Under the project the 3.8 kilometre Aboabo-Susa drains from Anloga to Atonsu would be improved and 14 places of convenience for selected schools as well as the public would be constructed in the four beneficiary suburbs to enhance sanitation.
Additionally, a 13-kilometre road network would be contructed to ease traffic congestion and 312 street lights will be installed to enhance the beauty of the suburbs.
Furthermore, a number of bore holes will be drilled to address the problems of water supply in the four communities .
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, who cut the sod for work to begin on the project, commended the French government for the immense contributions towards the development efforts and the management of sanitation in various parts of the country.
“In deed the AFD Partnership has provided a major fillip towards the achievement of the development objectives of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. One significant contribution of AFD to the development of Kumasi is the Oforikrom-Asokwa Bypass and Lake Road Expansion and Sokoban Wood Village Project” he noted.
He pointed out that “poor environmental sanitation conditions of our communities has been the bane of the numerous ailments afflicting the people” stressing “ environment and sanitation management therefore represents one of the greatest developmental challenge to the management of our communities and cities”.
Mr Opoku-Manu explained that the ever increasing population of Kumasi had not only brought about “excessive pressure on the existing sanitation and other infrastructural facilities in the city with its attendant social and economic problems, but has also resulted in the massive flooding, leading to loss of many lives and properties running into millions of Ghana Cedis”.
“The situation may be attributed to the lack of adequate drains in the city to carry flood waters when it rained” he noted, adding “The commencement of the Community Infrastructure Upgrading and the Aboabo-Susa Storm drainage improvement works is therefore a welcome development, not only to the residents of the beneficiary communities, but the entire city of Kumasi and the region at large”.
In his address, the French Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Francis Hurtut, assured of his country’s continuous support to Ghana and said the current project would employ not less than 500 Ghanaians to ease the unemployment problems among the youth.
In his welcome address, the Chief Executive of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Samuel Sarpong said apart from the GH¢24 million project, AFD was also funding the construction of the Oforikrom-Asokwa bypass and the Lake Road Improvement project as well as the Sokoban Wood Village project designed to accommodate displaced workers from Anloga and its environs.
He, however, appealed to AFD to consider supporting the construction of a 3.5 dual carriage road from Coca Cola area to Sawua junction “ to ease vehicular traffic congestion along that stretch of road as the current construction works terminates at Brewery”.