Until the inauguration of the new Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) last year by the then Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Afigya Kwabre District remained one of the orphan assemblies created in the country, precisely in the Ashanti Region.
It was created in 2008 by the Kufuor administration with powers of Legislative Instrument (LI) 1856 of Act 2007. It is one of the districts with two constituencies, namely Afigya Kwabre North and Afigya Kwabre South (formerly Afigya Sekyere West and Kwabre West). It is also an assembly that did not have a single government property; everything has been rented till now.
It currently has 64 assembly members, including the DCE, Kaakyire Oppong Kyekyeku, and the two Members of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North and South – Nana Marfo Amaniampong and William Owuraku Aidoo.
In the last general election, the NPP secured 17,798 presidential votes, representing 70.35 per cent of the total valid votes cast in Afigya Kwabre North while it secured 46,660 as presidential votes, representing 81.28 per cent of the valid votes cast in the Afigya Kwabre South.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) polled some 7,268 and 10,373 votes, representing 28.73 per cent and 18.07 per cent in both Afigya Kwabre North and South constituencies. With a current population of 136,140, an area size of 302.1 square kilometres, the Ashanti Regional Authority of the Town and Country Planning records that the Afigya Kwabre District is the fourth most populous to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly and the Atwima Nwabiagya District Assembly. (Source: 26-90-2010 Population Census by the Ghana Statistical Service).
Without a luxury and with the assembly operating on a rented premises of a fuel station at the district capital, Kodie, the caretaker DCE, Mr Oppong Kyekyeku, has been able to lead the assembly to maintain some decorum, with a countless recorded projects.
The DCE has supported assembly members in bringing development in the district.
Through his initiative, he has helped to organise for the first time an innovative programme (District Homecoming) with support from the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, a week-ong annual affair which brings the people together and offers a great opportunity for networking.
As part of this initiative, Nana Adwoa Awindo, a television presenter, was installed Nkosuohemaa for helping the DCE (in consultation with nananom) in organising the homecoming event.
With the scarce financial resources, the assembly has achieved a lot for such a less-endowed district and is competing well with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and other MMDAs in the country.
Since 2009, the assembly has built 300 household latrines at Ankaase, Mpobi and Tetrem and supplied 700 streetlight bulbs to Wawase, Aboabogya and Denase and drilled 80 mechanised boreholes for the various communities in the district.
For Central Administration, the assembly has completed the building of bungalows for the DCE and District Co-ordinating Director as well as a two-semi detached bungalow for the assembly staff.
Through the financial capability of the Africa Development Bank (ADB), a GH¢600,000 small water project was initiated for the district to help solve the perennial water problem in the area.
Apart from 7000 dual desks being supplied to schools in the district, with funds from the District Development Fund (DDF) and Internally-Generated Funds (IGF), some 45 classroom blocks have been initiated, with 38 of them having been completed. Works on the remaining seven are ongoing.
On road rehabilitation, eight culverts have been built while some spots have been improved on the roads. They are the 10.9-km Atimatim-Maase-Meduma, 5.6-km Mpobi-Sweduro, 7.2-km Pampatia-Kodie-Mowire and 7.5-km Afrancho-Ntiribuoho-Bomso roads.
Apart from the assembly projects, he collaborated with the then MP for Afigya Sekyere West, Albert Kan Dapaah, to initiate about eight projects in the district.
However, before the close of the year 2011, the DCE had initiated 58 project of which 38 were completed and 20 were ongoing for some 95 communities in the district.
As of August 2011, the district had mobilised GH¢122,186.51 through internally generated funds (IGF), representing 57 per cent of the GH¢390,000.00 it targeted at the end of the year.
Among the completed developmental projects executed were the construction of the District Co-ordinating Director’s Bungalow and the construction of 2-unit semi-detached quarters, all at Kodie, at the cost of GH¢162, 350.
Majority of the projects which were executed in the education sector included the construction of dormitory blocks and teachers’ quarters at Kodie, Bronkrong, Aduman, Boamang, Penteng, Adukro, Hemang Buoho, Mpobi, Abroma, Maase, Ejuratia and Kyekyewere.
The construction of a three-classroom block at Tetrem was initiated by the then Member Parliament for Afigya Sekyere West Constituency, Albert Kan Dapaah, in collaboration with the DCE.
The project was awarded to the contractor, Jubilee Construction Works, on March 1, 2009. Construction commenced on March 15, 2009 and was completed in November 10, 2009.
On health, the district has completed the construction of a nurses’ quarters at Brofoyedru and a two-bedroom semi-detached quarters at Aboabogya.
Total amount spent on these projects is GH¢82,249.24.
Four roads that have been completed are the 3.5km spot improvement from Wawase to Kobeda by the feeder roads, a 6.05km grass-cutting from Aboaso through Ankaase to Nantan and a 5.6km road surfacing from Swedru to Mpobi. A 7.5 km Kodie-Mowire road has been surfaced to enhance easy transportation.
More so, a district-wide electrification project of 200 streetlights which cost GH¢40,000 has been completed. It was awarded to the K. Max contractor on September 1, 2010.
For economic reasons, the district embarked on the construction of market and stores at Kodie all of which have been completed and are in use.
On water and sanitation, a district-wide construction of 300 household latrines have been successfully completed.
Other projects include the construction of 33 KVIP toilets in 33 schools in the district, the construction of small towns water system at Ankaase, Mpobi and Ejuratia and mechanised boreholes at Aboabogya, Kwamang and Bronkrong.
Article: Joseph Kyei-Boateng
Newer news items:
Older news items: