E HAWARZI DAIPI, HON. OSEI ASSIBEY ANTWI, KUMASI METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY
The Singaporean High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency (HE) Hawazi Daipi, on Tuesday March 26, 2019, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Kumasi, Hon Osei Assibey Antwi.
The visit, amongst others, was to express Singapore’s keen interest in building a strong relationship with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).
HE Daipi said Singapore attaches much importance to environmental sustainability, and in pursuance of their objectives they were willing to work with Ghana in attaining the sustainable development goal (SDG) 15.
The goal emphasizes the need to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managed forests, combat desertification, halting and reversing land degradation, as well as biodiversity loss.
The Singaporean High Commissioner observed that his country had relocated all car manufacturing companies outside the cities to avoid pollution.
In addition, his government as a legislation had also put restrictions on the number of vehicles allowed to ply the streets to limit the amount of carbon emitted into the air for the wellbeing of the people.
HE Daipi indicated that the two countries should continually share development experiences, while promoting technology transfer for the growth of their economies.
Hon. Assibey Antwi, in his welcome address, elaborated on various projects being implemented by the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government, including the ‘Free Senior High School (SHS)’ policy, ‘Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ)’, ‘One District, One Factory (1D1F)’ project, ‘One District, One Dam’, and other novelty programmes structured to make life comfortable for the people.
Commenting on the government’s ‘Youth in Afforestation Programme’, the Honourable Mayor explained that the initiative was geared towards improving the vegetation cover of the nation in general.
It was for this reason, he said, that the Assembly had over the last two years been implementing a project dubbed ‘Keep Kumasi Clean and Green’, which had so far, seen it plant various tree species to improve the biodiversity and ecology.
Hon. Assibey Antwi, in reacting to the High Commissioner’s question on his greatest challenge in the past two years of his tenure, cited congestion at the Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi, inadequate funding from both Internally Generated Fund (IGF) and donor funding for infrastructural development, as well as waste management.
The MCE appealed to the High Commissioner to assist Ghana in attracting investors from Singapore in order to help develop Kumasi into a city that befitting its status as the ‘Garden City of West Africa’.
He cited food processing, housing regeneration, development of the Kumasi Airport, modern car parks, area of tourism as some of the investment opportunities available.
Story By: Kesse Alfred
You must be logged in to post a comment.