 HON. PRESIDING MEMBER

 HON. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

 HON. ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

 MUNICIPAL CORDINATING DIRECTOR

 DISTINGUISHED HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS

 DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS

 MEMBERS FROM THE MEDIA FRATERNITY

 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

Once again, I have the single honour and duty to deliver my sessional address to this noble Assembly. I wish to welcome all participants most especially our special guests and Hon. Members to this session and to also express my sincere appreciation for your participation despite your busy schedules.

Hon. Presiding Member, my address will give an account on the state of affairs in the Municipality for proper evaluation of our performance in order to take stock of how we are faring as a Municipality. To this end Ladies and Gentlemen, my sessional address will highlight on the following areas; peace and security, human resource and capacity building, revenue mobilization and expenditure, revenue strategies, private sector participation in revenue mobilization, waste Management and Environmental Sanitation, Works and Projects, Roads, Development control, Education, Health, Agriculture, and the Physical Planning for your information and deliberation.

PEACE AND SECURITY

Hon. Presiding Member, the security situation within the Municipality has been relatively calm, with the exception of few incidents of thefts, drug peddling, prostitution, and the usual pockets of disputes among family members. The chieftaincy front has also remained relatively stable. The perennial problems associated with the traditional authorities are gradually being curtailed. I am hopeful that by the end of this year, most of the chieftaincy disputes would be resolved. The Homowo festival would be peacefully celebrated amidst the observance of all Covid- 19 protocols.

In respect to defiant acts and nefarious activities, Management has collaborated with the Police Service and demolished several structures that were being used as hideouts and play grounds for miscreants and prostitutes alike.

I wish to state that prior to that exercise, the activities of the miscreants and prostitutes posed serious security threat to the rest of the populace as reports of pickpocketing mobile phones and car snatching by prostitutes and their accomplices were constantly being lodged at the Teshie Police Station.

Cases of armed robbery have reduced to the barest minimum, while traffic situation on the main roads notwithstanding the ongoing major road construction have improved tremendously. There has been supply and installation of 11pieces of 10m galvanized steel poles and maintenance of 20 street lights in the Municipality to ensure that dark spots and flash points in the Municipality are provided with lights in order to deter miscreants from engaging in their nefarious activities.

Security agencies, particularly the Police High Command have remained vigilant and have been able to deal with the myriad of cases that have been reported. I wish to commend the security agencies for ensuring the safety of residents in the Municipality. I also wish to assure this august house that Management would continue to support the security agencies to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.

HUMAN RESOURCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING

Hon. Presiding Member, the current staff strength of the Assembly is made up of 246 staff; this figure comprises of 145 GOG staff and 101 IGF staff. A number of officers have been posted to other sister assemblies while a few officers have also been posted to this assembly.

Hon. Presiding Member, Management is gradually strengthening the staff size of some Departments and Units to ensure they discharge their duties efficiently. We have also mapped out strategies to equip department and/or units with a number of logistics to aid them in the discharge of their duties.

Hon. Presiding Member, it is worth noting that a number of training and developmental programs have also been drawn for Hon. Assembly Members and Staff of the various Departments to upgrade their skills and build their capacity.

REVENUE MOBILIZATION AND EXPENDITURE

Hon. Presiding Member, the Assembly’s annual budgeted amount, thus; Internally Generated Fund (IGF) for the year 2021 was (GH¢5,600,000.40) and out of this figure, a total amount of (GH¢2,509,900.40) has been actualized as at June, 2021, thus; representing (50%).

Hon. Presiding Member, I wish to state that the entire revenue mobilization area could only be enhanced through co-operation, dedication, and commitment from Assembly Members, Staff and other stakeholders. I wish to call on all and sundry gathered here to fully commit yourselves in our revenue mobilization drive to enable the Assembly generate enough funds and achieve its developmental agenda.

REVENUE STRATEGIES

Hon. Presiding Member, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, undoubtedly, increased and reliable sources of revenue remain the surest way to bring development to the people.

Management of this Assembly has therefore adopted strategies that would boost revenue. They are as follows:

 Review meetings with commissioned collectors to set realistic targets.

 Enhance logistics required for the distribution of bills.

 Identification and analysis of the causes of low collection of property rate.

 Training of revenue mobilization task force/staff

 Meetings with rate payers to build consensus on rate

 Public education on revenue collection

PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN REV. MOBILIZATION

Hon. Presiding Member, as part of efforts to increase revenue mobilization in the Municipality, Management has engaged the private sector to amass revenue from signage, masts, bill board advertising. The private sector includes; Mannet Court, Absolute Media, Raddom Company Ltd. and Regimanuel Estates.

Hon. Presiding Member, it will interest you to know that Management has resolved the unhealthy boundary issues between us and our sister assemblies, Krowor and LADMA. Thus, revenue collectors are able to do their collection peacefully at Accra Mall.

WASTE MANAGEMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION

Hon. Presiding Member, there have been periodic national sanitation and/or clean-up exercises and it has been quite successful.

Hon. Presiding Member, there has been massive construction of household toilets under the Greater Accra Metropolitan-Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP) in the Municipality and the response has been overwhelming. Under the GAMA project, a total of 728 household toilets out of a target of 1000 toilets were constructed in 2020. In 2021, out of a set target of 900 toilets have been constructed so far hoping to meet the targeted number by December, 2021.

The main motive of the environmental sanitation bye-laws is to ensure abatement of environmental nuisance and prosecution of offenders, of which 1,300 abatement notices have been served to indigenes who were found culpable. I will use this platform to admonish the entire Municipality to be compliant with the sanitary bye-laws.

WORKS AND PROJECTS

Hon. Presiding Member, during the period under review a lot of projects have been under taken with some ongoing and others at completed stages.

Amongst the completed projects are;

 Completion of fence wall around LeKMA Head Office.

 Rehabilitation of Teshie Salam Presby Primary and JHS School Block.

 Rehabilitation of LeKMA 2 & 6 School Blocks

 Rehabilitation of Camp 2 KG & JHS Block.

 Re-painting and tiling of Assembly Hall at LeKMA Head office and construction of fence hall at Teshie Southern Cluster of Schools.

 Construction of 3-storey office complex for LeKMA.

 Construction of KG Block at Teshie Salam.

 Construction of Foot Bridge at Teshie Aboma.

 Fabrication and supply of 330 students’ tables and chairs; and 100 set of teachers’ tables and chairs.

 Re-roofing of LeKMA Head Office Court Block.

 Construction of fence wall around Teshie Presby SHS.

 Construction of 6-Seater 10No. Squatting pour flush toilet.

 No.16-Seater Squatting pour flush toilet at Wajir B JHS.

 Construction of 2-Storey 12-Unit Classroom Block at Teshie Presby SHS.

 Reconstruction of the Teshie London Foot Bridge.

 Ongoing project; (almost completed)

 Construction of 3-Storey 18-Unit Classroom Block with ancillary facilities

(Phase 1); Ground floor 6-Unit at Krobo 1 Basic School.

 Phase 2 of construction of fence wall around Northern Cluster of schools

 Completion of existing 2 storey building for Municipal Education Office.

 External works for the Municipal Education Office.

ROADS

Hon. Presiding Member, Management has given priority to the road sub-sector since the provision of roads, drains and bridges play significant roles in opening up the local economy. In light of this, the Municipal Roads Department has undertaken the following projects;

 Ongoing projects – sea lady, Malik, Baptist Area at Tebibiano

 Construction of Box-Culvert at Teshie Demo.

 Drainage and gravel work at Teshie Demo.

 Re-construction of Foot Bridge at Teshie London area.

 Construction of drains and graveling near First Junction.

 Construction of drain at Jar Labor

 Construction of drain at Akosombo No. 4

DEVELOPMENT CONTROL

Hon. Presiding Member, Development Control remains one of the biggest challenge confronting the Assembly. Building at inappropriate sites like waterways, proposed roads, road reservations, open spaces, public user sites but a few, are quite common occurrences within the Municipality. The net effect of this phenomenon is the development of slums and inaccessible settlements.

Hon. Presiding Member, in some instances the level of encroachment is so severe that, one could hardly ride through with a motor bike on a facility supposed to be a road. Mindful of the benefits in opening up the road network, consultations have been made with stakeholders and subsequently, there has been massive removal of unauthorized structures on some of those road reservations.

In the interim, inhabitants living in and around those areas are being advised on periodic basis to cease from putting up structures on those unauthorized areas.

The Statutory Planning Committee of the Assembly of which I preside over will also ensure strict compliance.

EDUCATION

Hon. Presiding Member, Hon. Assembly Members, Departmental Heads, Ladies and Gentlemen, as you are aware, the development of every society largely depends on education. As such, the Assembly has supplied 400 furniture to the Ghana Education Service (GES). Recently, another 180 dual desks have been added on while 430 mono and 360 Dual Desks are currently being fabricated. In this regard, I wish to assure this house that I am absolutely committed to ensure that Management adequately supports Educational Authorities.

Hon. Presiding Member, The Education Sector in the Municipality experienced an increase in the enrollment especially at the Senior High School (SHS) level where the Government has instituted the free Senior High School Educational policy.

The School Feeding Program is an initiative of the Ghana Government that seeks to enhance food security, reduce hunger, poverty and mal-nutrition among school going age in Public Schools. The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly has been fortunate to benefit from the Ghana School Feeding Program since 2007 to date. The number of public basic schools in the Municipality that are benefitting from the program is 37; these beneficiary schools are made up of four (4) Circuits. The actual total enrollment figure for the beneficiary schools in the Municipality is 10,124 served by 37 caterers.

Hon. Presiding Member, in connection with the Government’s Tertiary Scholarship Scheme, 75 students have been beneficiaries to the Tertiary level. Currently, 153 students have been interviewed and yet to benefit from the Scheme for the 2021 academic year.

Hon. Presiding Member, let me reiterate that, the Assembly is determined to assist Educational Institutions at all levels to improve on the educational standards in the Municipality.

HEALTH

Hon. Presiding Member, in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, the Assembly has placed “veronica” buckets at vantage points in the premises and also distributed “veronica” buckets, face masks and hand sanitizers to the indigenes. The various Health Facilities in the Municipality also received Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) from the Assembly, NGOs, and Religious Bodies which in diverse ways have helped control the spread of the virus in the Municipality. The Assembly in collaboration with the Health Directorate has also embarked on various Covid-19 sensitization protocols in the Municipality.

Hon. Presiding Member, Hon. Assembly Members, Departmental Heads, Ladies and Gentlemen I will entreat all and sundry gathered here to adhere to the various Covid-19 protocols and to also educate the populace not be complacent.

Hon. Presiding Member, The National Health Insurance Scheme, which is a Government’s Social Intervention Program, has been of utmost help to the citizens in the Municipality, with a total of 37,874 people having benefitted from the Scheme.

Through the relentless effort of our Health Officials in the Municipality, Maternal Mortality rate has reduced to the barest minimum. Let me assure the house that, the Assembly will not relent on its oars but will ensure that the health delivery system receives the necessary push. We will provide basic equipment to the various public health facilities in order to make them more functional. We will strengthen our relationship with the Municipal Health Directorate and also lend our full support to all health facilities operating within the Municipality.

AGRICULTURE

Hon. Presiding Member, Agriculture remains the back bone of our economy in Ghana, hence our Municipality. Fishing remains one of the booming sectors in the Municipality. As such, Government of Ghana is constructing a Fishing Landing Site and habour. in order to boost the Fishing industry in the Municipality. Outboard motors at a reduced price have also been sold to the Fisher Folks.

Hon. Presiding Member, the Agriculture Sector since the year 2019 has been experiencing some level of improvement in the Poultry Sector and this could be attributed to the Government’s ‘rearing for food and jobs’ program undertaken in the Municipality. The challenge being faced is the transmission of Avian-Flu. Currently, two of our poultry farmers have the flu on their farms, however, these farms would be disinfected by 23rd July, 2021. It must also be noted that through the Government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ intervention program, there have also been supply of improved seeds and fertilizers at subsidized rates, free extension services and marketing opportunities for farmers at large.

PHYSICAL PLANNING

Hon. Presiding Member, The Physical Planning Department has been able to digitize 2,035 streets, named 639 streets, digitized 18,939 parcels; and 16,785 parcels have also been numbered under the Street Naming and Property Address System. This has eased route finding in the Municipality.

CONCLUSION

Hon. Presiding Member, Hon. Assembly Members, Departmental Heads, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to commend each and every one for playing your roles tirelessly which has brought us this far. Let us not relent in the struggle towards making our Municipality a better place for our people. On this note I wish you all fruitful deliberations.

Thank you for your attention. May God bless us all.