The Keta Municipal Assembly, as part of its commitment to enhancing participatory governance and transparency, organized a town hall meeting on Tuesday, 8th October 2024, at the St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Hall in Abor. The session focused on the implementation of the Assembly’s 2024 Annual Action Plan and Composite Budget, using the Public Financial Management (PFM) template.
The event, held under the jurisdiction of the Washa-Wego Zonal Council in the Keta Municipality, witnessed a significant turnout of seventy (70) participants, comprising sixty-three (63) males and seven (7) females. Key personalities present included the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Emmanuel Gemegah, Municipal Coordinating Director, Heads of Departments, representatives of Traditional Authorities, Assembly Members, youth groups, CSOs, religious leaders, and the media.
In his welcome address, Hon. Gemegah emphasized the importance of the meeting as a platform for the Assembly to account for its stewardship, engage with residents on the use of public resources, and solicit their inputs to enrich future development plans. He urged participants to actively contribute to the discussions and to share their concerns and suggestions on pressing municipal issues.
The Chairman for the occasion, Torgbi Shikablu III, Dufia of Tsiame, echoed similar sentiments, calling for collective participation in the deliberations. He reminded participants of their civic responsibility to pay taxes and levies, highlighting their crucial role in enabling the Assembly to deliver developmental projects.
The Municipal Development Planning Officer, Mr. Harry Dake, led the presentation, providing a comprehensive overview of the 2024 Annual Action Plan, drawn from the 2022-2025 Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP). He outlined key achievements across sectors including Economic Development, Education, Health, Water and Sanitation, Governance, and Roads from 2021 to 2023. Projects mentioned included market sheds in Afiadenyigba and Keta, classroom blocks in Horvi and Gbetuinu, health centers in Keta and Asadame, and reshaping of major roads such as Atiavi-Glime and Keta Rose-Pavilion road.
Heads of Departments took turns to present planned activities within their sectors. The Agriculture Department outlined interventions under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme and farmer support services. Social Welfare highlighted programs tackling gender-based violence, child protection, and skills training for vulnerable groups. Health officials discussed the construction of a hostel facility for trainee nurses, food demonstrations, and awareness programs on maternal health and Covid-19.
Prominent issues raised by the public included the poor state of roads, high agricultural input costs, youth unemployment, teenage pregnancy, crime rates, lack of storage for farm produce, and inadequate school furniture. Proposals to address these challenges emphasized enhanced stakeholder engagements and resource mobilization.
The meeting, conducted predominantly in Ewe, fostered lively and constructive participation. All issues raised were satisfactorily addressed, and participants expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to directly interact with duty bearers and contribute to governance processes.
The session concluded at 2:23 pm with a closing prayer by Mr. Freedom Vitashie, marking another milestone in fostering grassroots participation and accountability in the Keta Municipality.
