Local Gov’t Minister unveils Inner-City Big Push Initiative to transform urban communities

Accra, Oct. 23, GNA – Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, says the government is developing a partnership model with homeowners to transform deprived urban neighbourhoods through improved roads, drainage systems and green spaces. 

He said the initiative, known as the Inner-City Big Push Initiative, would initially target Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, before being expanded to other parts of the country. 

The Minister was speaking during a visit to Regimanuel Estate in Accra, accompanied by a technical team to study the estate’s development model and explore opportunities to replicate it nationwide. 

He said the initiative was aimed at creating more liveable communities by addressing the infrastructure deficit in existing neighbourhoods, many of which had developed faster than the authorities could provide the necessary roads and drainage systems. 

“I am indeed very passionate about how we can transform our cities, both urban and rural setups, and make life more comfortable for our people,” he added. 

Mr Ayariga said a technical team comprising quantity surveyors, development planners, architects and civil engineers had spent the past three to four weeks developing a concept for redeveloping urban communities. 

He said the proposed model would use drone imagery, LiDAR sensor technology and artificial intelligence to map neighbourhoods, assess road networks and redesign them to incorporate tarred roads, drainage systems, trees and green spaces. 

Under the model, communities would be divided into sections of about 200 homes, with experts determining the infrastructure requirements and estimating the cost of the proposed improvements. 

He said the government and homeowners would then share the cost, with the government providing incentives to reduce the financial burden on residents. 

The Minister expressed confidence that residents would be willing to contribute if they were assured of quality work, adding that improved infrastructure would enhance their living conditions and increase property values. 

Mr Ayariga said the initiative would complement the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme, which focused on improving road connections between regions, major towns and economic centres. 

He explained that while the broader programme addressed major road infrastructure, the Inner-City Big Push Initiative would focus on neighbourhood roads and other essential infrastructure in densely populated urban areas. 

Mr Ayariga said the government had begun consultations with the Department of Urban Roads and the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), while the MMDCEs had also reviewed and provided input into the proposed model. 

He said the team would present the developed concept to President John Dramani Mahama upon his return from the United Kingdom for further consideration. 

The Minister said the visit to Regimanuel Estate was also intended to explore a possible partnership with developers who had successfully delivered planned residential communities, rather than reinventing existing models. 

He said the President had directed that the initiative begin in Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, with the possibility of expanding it based on the outcome of the initial implementation. 

Mr Ayariga said the three urban areas were important starting points because a significant proportion of Ghana’s population lived in them, meaning improvements there could benefit many residents. 

He said the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to working with communities and private-sector partners to provide infrastructure and improve living standards across the country.