“Had it not been the structures put in place, the elevation to municipal status would not have been possible,” he stated.

On December 21, 2017, five out of the nine sub-metros forming the then KMA were elevated to the status of municipal assemblies and were carved out of the old KMA.

These are Asokwa, Kwadaso, Oforikrom, Old Tafo and Suame.

Addressing the press last Tuesday, Mr Antwi said the KMA had been able to nurture five municipalities and believed it was a feather in the cap of the assembly and the President.

The MCE said 5,000 traders had been validated, out of which a total of 1,065 had been given their keys to move into their shops at the redeveloped Kejetia Market.

Even though the beneficiaries had been given their keys since July this year, Mr Antwi was unable to explain why they had not moved into the new place.

Besides, he said most of the issues the traders raised prior to the validation process had been resolved.

Stores

He, however, warned that the stores were not transferable, neither were they for sale so those who bought or rented a store from anyone at the market did so at their peril.

According to him, the stores were in the name of the KMA and not the occupants or tenants.

Again, on the premium to be paid, he said the price which was initially approved by Parliament had been slashed by half and now those who were to pay GH¢50,000 would now pay GH¢25,000 while those paying GH¢15,000 would pay GH¢7,000.

To ensure the safety and security of the residents, he said the assembly spent part of its resources on security and those included the rehabilitation of the old KMA Circuit Court and the paving of its surrounding, the construction of  a wall around the commercial court and the furnishing of some police stations within the operational areas of the assembly.

Projects

During the period under review, Mr Antwi said the assembly constructed over 20 mechanised boreholes to provide potable water for communities such as South Suntreso, Bantama, Bohyen, Dote, Oti, Apraman, Daaban and Buokrom Estate.

According to him, the assembly also facilitated the distribution and installation of 4,000 household toilets.

In order to control the indiscriminate disposal of waste in the metropolis, he said the assembly had installed over 1,000 litter bins at vantage points in the city and along the ceremonial streets of the regional capital.

Mr Antwi said since the launch of the operation, the assembly had been able to plant and nurture 63,293 and also certified over 11,000 food vendors, organised 98 public education durbars using the media and community leaders and 82 clean-up exercises in the metropolis.

He added that the assembly had completed and handed over a 20-bed capacity ward and theatre to the Maternal and Child Health Hospital, also known as Children’s Hospital, at Pampaso