TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP OF HORESD PROJECT INAUGURATED
The Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Samuel Pyne has inaugurated the Territorial and Technical Working Group for the Holistic Reinforcement for Sustainable Development(HORESD) Project at the Lancaster Hotel in Kumasi.
The HORESD is an EU funded project which seeks to strengthen Kumasi’s capacity to provide public services, giving priority to an integrated management system of solid urban waste, implementation of participative processes and boosting the circular economy in Kumasi with special emphasis on incorporating the disadvantaged people or those at risk of social exclusion.
In his welcome address, the Metro Coordinating Director, Mr. Kwadwo Akuamoah Boateng said after the launch of the HORESD project on 16th March,2022, with the support of the Assembly’s international partners from MANRA in Spain and the Camara City of Praia in Cape Verde, a number of activities had been implemented, citing the inauguration and staffing of the Green Information Point, preparation of the Urban Solid Waste Management Plan and training of some selected key decision makers and technical officers of the Assembly.
He said the inauguration of the Territorial Management Group (TMG) and the Technical Working Group (TWG) will bring a collaboration that will strengthen KMA’s efforts to make the city of Kumasi clean and green.
In his inaugural speech, Hon. Samuel Pyne indicated that, the inauguration of the groups was a critical component of the implementation of the HORESD project.
He said the KMA alone could not build the kind of city that all desire to see, that is, a city clean and green, free from traffic congestion with quality healthcare and educational systems, gainful jobs for the youth and sustainable income for households, adding that, realizing this dream required holistic engagements of all citizens from all spheres of professions.
Hon. Sam Pyne said it was against that backdrop that as part of the HORESD project a Territorial Management Group (TMG) and a Technical Working Group (TWG) were being inaugurated to assist the Local Project Management Team with the operationalization of the project activities.
The Mayor said the TMG was made of 22 entities that have the political influence and financial capacity to carry out the measures to be proposed in the Territorial Pact and for these to be maintained over time, even after the end of the HORESD project.
He noted that the TMG will be responsible for making decisions that fostered greater sustainable development in the city, and an increase in the population’s quality of life, adding that, the TMG will therefore become the signatory entities of the Territorial Pact for Sustainable Development (TPSD)and will have the strategic function of directing, monitoring and globally evaluating its actions.
Hon. Pyne said the Technical Working Group (TWG) on the other hand was made up of 25members responsible for the concrete development of the Territorial Pact for sustainable Development (TPSD) actions and is composed of specialists from the different departments of the Assembly, as well as from other institutions.
The Mayor indicated that the TWG will foster coordination and debates among different departments that currently work in isolation, proposing solutions to complex problems with multisector and multilateral approach.
He further said the Technical Working Group will be responsible for preparing proposals with a focus on leveraging other donor supports to complement the funding of the EU in other areas.
Hon. Sam Pyne noted that the activities of the TWG will cut across territorial planning and management of Metropolitan Areas in relations to access to drinking water and basic sanitation, strategic urban planning, risk prevention, local taxation and management of local finance, public transport, local economic development, combating unemployment and developing income-generated activities.
Present at the inaugural ceremony were Akyamfuo Asafo Boakye Agyeman, Asafohene and member of the TMG; Dr. Helder Moreira, International Coordinator, HORESD; Chief Supt. Owusu Mpianim of the Ghana Police Service; Her Hon. Mrs. Jacqueline Avotri, Judicial Service of Ghana; Prof Helen Korkor Essandoh, KNUST; Hon. Patrick Kwame Frimpong, Presiding Member of KMA, and departmental heads at KMA
Others included reps from Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Christian Council, Muslim Council, EPA, GPRTU, Shop Owners Association, United Petty Traders Association, UniJay Limited, Ultimate Fashion, Oson’s Chemist among others.
STORY: EMMANUEL ANTWIJNR
PIXS: CHRISTIANYANKEY
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