http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/31360-tma-to-meet-developmet-needs-of-tema.html
By: Benjamin Xornam Glover, TEMA
A core component among efforts to ensure the delivery of qualitative education is the provision of infrastructure that promotes teaching and learning in schools. Sadly, over the years, facilities in many schools in the Tema Metropolis are in deplorable conditions.
To address the challenge, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has introduced what is referred to as the Tema Industrial City Basic School Project. By this idea, the TMA seeks to ultimately revamp education in the Tema Metropolis.
The project implementation involves the construction of six new schools and the rehabilitation of old and decaying school structures.
Design
The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, explained that all newly constructed schools would have two-storeys and not less than 12 classrooms.
He said each of the facilities would have in addition an Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre, a library, a kitchen, a health post and other support facilities to make the schools run efficiently.
Moreover, all the structures would have standardised fields for sports, including athletic ovals and basketball and volleyball courts. The construction of the sports fields is aimed at unearthing talents.
He said each of the structures would be fenced to ensure control and security for staff and schoolchildren.
Work on the first stream of the Industrial City Basic Schools Project, involving two schools out of the six earmarked, has commenced and is expected to be completed in 12 months. The structures are located on the compound of the Mexico Cluster of Schools in Community Two and Mantey Din Primary School in Community One.
Funding
According to the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), even though the project seemed daunting, the most important thing was to have a plan. “But we do not only have just a plan, we also have financial streams tied to the projects,” he said
He said the first phase of the projects was being financed by the Urban Development Grant of the World Bank. The second phase would be tackled with funds from the District Assembly Common Fund, while funds for the third phase would be sourced from the assembly's internally generated fund and donor support from philanthropists.
While on a tour of the building site, the metropolitan chief executive and his team from the TMA were briefed by the contractor, Mrs Rejoice E. Dorcoo. She gave an assurance that the project she was working on would be completed in less than 10 months.
"Following assurances of the availability of funds, we are hopeful of delivering the project far ahead of schedule," she said.
Mr Odamtten said an early completion of the project would be welcomed since it was needed to enhance accessibility to education in the metropolis. The early delivery of the project notwithstanding, the MCE tasked the contractors to do a quality job.
Other Development Projects
Mr Odamtten said the assembly was also involved in other undertakings aimed at responding to the infrastructural and social needs of residents. In this direction, he said, markets in the city were being refurbished to give traders more room and space to ply their trade.
He said as part of that commitment, in July this year the assembly cut the sod for the construction of market stores for the Tema Manhean community. He said the project had progressed very quickly and was about 65 per cent complete.
He said initially the Tema Manhean market project was designed to take 17 stores but with ongoing re-engineering and redesigning works, the facility had been expanded to contain 21 shops.
He was optimistic that the project would be completed by November this year.
PPP Initiative
Mr Odamtten said the Tema Manhean Market project was the first phase of the TMA’s relationship with the private sector under a public-private partnership initiative.
He explained that when the market stores were completed, they would be leased out to raise funds for the next phase of expansion works in the Tema Manhean market.
Even distribution
According to Mr Odamtten, to ensure that development projects were spread evenly in the metropolis, the TMA was constructing a Community Health Planning Service Centre (CHPS) at Adjei Kojo, a kitchen for the Bastonaa Cluster Of Schools, and another at the Anglican Cluster Of Schools in Tema Manhean.
The Tema MCE said further that the assembly had made efforts to improve the road network in Klagon and Lashibi and, in conjunction with the MP for Tema Central, rehabilitate and re-grass the Prisco Park in Tema Community Four as part of efforts to promote sports in the area.
He said the assembly had further rehabilitated a number of streetlights in the metropolis to improve visibility at night and enhance security. He has, however, appealed to residents to keep a close eye on the lights and inform the assembly should there be any fault on them.
Challenges
Mr Odamtten conceded that Tema still faced an uphill challenge with regard to sanitation management. He attributed the difficulties the city was having with its sewage systems to their old nature, as some of them were over half a century old.
He said the sewage facility in the city was originally designed to carry waste from a few households but was now overstretched because of an ever increasing population.
Mr Odamtten said notwithstanding that, the assembly was exploring options to overhaul the system. In the meantime, he said, the waste management department of the assembly had been adequately resourced and equipped to deal with the occasional sewer explosions.
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