ON APRIL 4, this year, the Akyemansa District, one of the newly created political entities which for some years formed part of the vast Birim North District, was inaugurated amid fanfare and jubilation.
The creation of the new district, which initially had a problem of where to site the capital before it was finally settled with Akyem Ofoase as its headquarters, was hailed by the inhabitants as the only option to accelerate its growth in terms of social amenities and other poverty alleviation initiatives.
This is because the mother district, Birim North, which was itself created out of the former Birim District, was before then too vast to be effectively managed for all the communities to have a fair share of the national cake, although the necessary measures were taken in that respect.
The new district shares boundaries with Birim North on the north, the Asante Akyem South, Amansie East and Adansi South districts in the west, Birim Central Municipality on the south and Atiwa and Kwaebibirem districts on the east. It has a total population of 70,423.
The people, mostly farmers, are spread in about 96 communities made up of large towns such as Akyem Ofoase, Ayirebi, Akokoaso and Abenase.
Although the initial period of any new district is beset with challenges, that of Akyemansa is beyond description with virtually no infrastructure for its effective administration.
Despite the fact that some of the communities have been provided with social amenities like roads, school buildings, markets and clinics, others have not yet benefited from such amenities.
The worrying aspect of the situation is that the district administration block, which consists of hall and chamber apartments, for instance, as of now has no facilities for public convenience.
The problem makes it uncomfortable for the staff and assembly members who attend meetings to deliberate on issues that would advance the district’s development.
Such a terrible situation has compelled the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Emmanuel Nana Acquah Frempong, to initiate an elaborate infrastructural development programme to fast-track the provision of a number of amenities for both the assembly and the communities.
Prior to his appointment as the political head of the new district, Nana Acquah Frempong was the substantive DCE for the mother district.
Currently, Nana Acquah Frempong is being assisted by the District Co-ordinating Director, Mr C. Ashalley Dzane, the Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr S.G. Abrokwah, and a limited number of staff whose collaborative effort has already made a significant breakthrough in the infrastructural development of the new district.
For instance, construction work on a modern place of convenience and other facilities for the administration block of the assembly, which commenced less than a month ago, would be completed next month while other projects that had started in the various communities are, progressing steadily.
They include the tarring of the Anyinase Junction-Praso and the Akyem Ofoase-Akokoaso roads, the rehabilitation of the Otwereso Camp Junction-Zevor and the Adubiase-Kwaboadi Number One roads while preparations are underway for the tarring of the Ofoase-Ayirebi main road.
The European Union is also financing the construction of two-unit classroom blocks with offices, stores and public places of convenience for the District Assembly Primary Schools at Ayirebi and Zevor.
Classroom blocks, offices and public places of convenience have also been earmarked for other communities such as Adwafo and Otwereso Camp while five towns, namely Ayirebi, Ofoase, Chia, Abenase and Otwereso would also be provided with electricity.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Mr Oppon Kusi, is also playing a significant role in the electrification project through the provision of some of the poles and other items needed for the project.
Other poverty alleviation measures such as a micro-finance scheme have been instituted through the Micro-Finance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) from which some of the people have started benefiting. Addressing the maiden meeting of the assembly at Ofoase on Friday, Nana Acquah Frempong said although a lot had been accomplished in terms of the provision of social amenities, much more needed to be done.
He, therefore, called on the assembly members to help develop the district by maximising their output at all levels.
“Although we have completed a number of projects such as water supply system funded by the German Technical organisation (GTZ) through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency at Ayirebi, teachers’ bungalow for schools at Akokoaso and Subinso, a market at Akyem Otwereso and clinics at Ayirebi, Anyinase and Adubiase, a lot remains to be done,” the DCE stressed.
He, therefore, entreated the assembly members to help develop the communities.
The Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Abrokwah, who also addressed the meeting, stressed the need for the members, both elected and appointed, to unite and contribute their quota towards the development of their communities.
He said that could only be accomplished if they identified the challenges in their respective communities and mapped out strategies to address them.
Since inadequate funds continues to militate against the development of the area, the assembly, which also depends on internally generated revenue, has intensified education to drum home the need for the people to honour their tax obligations.
In line with the Local Government Act 1993, the assembly has imposed fees on all activities, especially commercial activities, to generate the much needed revenue to provide the necessary infrastructure to accelerate the area’s development.
With the institution of those laudable measures, coupled with the personal commitment of Nana Acquah Frempong to ensure the early completion of the infrastructural projects, it is expected that Akyemansa, which currently comprises many deprived communities, would in the near future be provided with the needed social amenities and thus improve the living standards of its people.
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