The Municipal Chief Executive for Sagnarigu in the northern region, Hajia Mariam Iddrisu has cut sod for the construction of 700m road and 800m storm drain at Ward K in the Sagnarigu Municipality under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support programme.
The road is bitumen surface with streetlights and trees along the stretch while the storm drain is a covered drain with footbridges.
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the World Bank is implementing the programme with an amount US$100 million for five years.
According to the Sagnarigu MCE, the initiative seeks to improve urban management and basic urban service delivery to address urban poverty and build resilient cities in the country.
About 25 municipal assemblies in Ghana are benefiting from it.
Hajia Mariam commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Hajia Alima Mahama for introducing such a novel initiative, describing it as a life changing programme targeted at enhancing urban service delivery.
She said the project when completed will reduce traveling time, insecurity and also curb the perennial floods within the Ward K community and some parts of Kalpohin.
The project would be completed in nine months but the MCE urged the contractor, Iddal Company Limited to ensure value for money by delivering quality of work.
“And I must also entreat our contractors to observe all environmental, health, social safeguards and all Covid-19 safety protocols throughout the construction period” she added.
She disclosed that the programme’s financial instrument is on performance for results.
Consequently, the eligible municipalities would have to demonstrate high performance in order to access their funds every year through Annual Performance Assessment.
The Sagnarigu municipality is the only beneficiary community of the programme in the northern region.
Ward K is a known flood prone area coupled with insanitary conditions due to poor sewage systems in the community.
However, the Municipal Chief Executive noted the Akufo-Addo government is determined to transform the municipality with the numerous developmental projects aimed at industrializing the country, alleviating poverty, making education accessible to all.
