The Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) has devoted an amount of GH¢7.2 million for the construction of a modern day garage for artisans in Cape Coast.
A contract has, subsequently, been signed between the authority and a local contractor, who has since commenced work at the project site at Mempeasem
This was made known by the Central Regional Director of the CoDA, Mr Obed Acquah Quansah, during a stakeholders’ dialogue, held in Cape Coast.
The dialogue was meant to find a common ground among all the major stakeholders involved in the resolve of the Cape Coast Metro Assembly to move all artisans from Siwdu Kokompe.
Addressing the participants, Mr Quansah hinted that the contractor, Paa Kay Engineering, had moved to site and started cutting and levelling the 20-acre land earmarked for the project.
Briefing the media, he said: “CoDA stands to implement programmes and projects that will help to eradicate poverty, and this project is one.”
“The garage for the artisans falls under [the] IPEP, which is Infrastructure Projects for Eradicating Poverty. It is one of the key projects we intend doing,” he explained
Mr Quansah gave an assurance that the authority would hold a stakeholders’ engagement when the consultant presents the designs and drawings of the project.
This, he said, would afford the artisans the opportunity to have a better understanding of how the final project would look like, so that they could make inputs.
The dialogue brought together all the major stakeholders, including the Paramount Chief of Cape Coast, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.
Artisans from Siwdu Kokompe, CEDECOM, Cape Coast Chamber of Commerce and officials from the Trade and Industry Ministry were also present.
Oguaamanhen’s concerns
In his remarks, the Omanhen of Cape Coast, Osabarima Kwesi Atta, stated that the Oguaa Traditional Council was in full support of the decision to move the artisans from Siwdu.
He further expressed appreciation to the artisans for accepting to move to the proposed site at Mempeasem after years of back and forth deliberations.
Osabarima, therefore, counselled CoDA and all the other stakeholders involved to work together in unity to properly secure the land with documents.
According to him, proper documentation of the land would avert any form of litigation that may arise in the future, regarding ownership.
Artisans concerns
Speaking at the dialogue meeting, the Chairman of the Siwdu Garages, Mr P.K. Aidoo, noted that the 20-acre land acquired for artisans at Mempeasem was woefully inadequate.
According to him, they would require at least a total land area of about 170 acres at the new site where the Assembly has planned to locate them.
He, however, on behalf of the members, accepted the outcome of the dialogue, but appealed for additional land so that heavy duty vehicles could be accommodated
Background
The Cape Coast Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry has identified the Cape Coast Fosu Lagoon as a potential tourist site that could be developed to create employment and generate revenue.
According to the Chamber, it is high time the huge potential of the Lagoon was harnessed to rake in badly needed funds to develop the metropolis.
It, therefore, called on the government, local and international investors to take advantage of the untapped potentials of the lagoon by considering its viability.
This was contained in a comprehensive research conducted by the Chamber which was to evaluate the potential of the Fosu Lagoon to boost tourism in Cape Coast.
It was also aimed at exploring how the development of the lagoon into a tourist enclave would contribute to the growth of tourism, generate income, and create employment in Cape Coast among others.
Research findings
The research findings identified that the activities of artisans at the Siwdu Kokompe enclave constituted a major existential threat to the lagoon.
In an interview, the Regional Manageress, Mrs Benedicta Anita Mensah, stated that the operations of the artisans had remained a major source of pollution to the lagoon
In view of this, she said, the Chamber supported plans by the Cape Coast Metro Assembly to evacuate artisans from the famous Siwdu Kokompe enclave.
She said, this, would be a giant step towards ending the continuous pollution of the lagoon by chemicals from the garages that were always washed into it.
Additionally, she noted that it would open up and expose the beauty and economic viability of the lagoon to prospective investors.
CCMA& Artisans tango
Due to poor communication and the lack of proper education, artisans at Siwdu Kokompe and the Cape Coast Metro have struggled in vain to reach a compromise.
For over three decades now, both parties have not been able to find a common ground, a situation that has led to persistent encroachment of the original land acquired
CCRCCI’s Role
Following the back and forth banter between the garages and the CCMA, the Cape Coast Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry stepped in.
The Chamber took it upon itself to embark on an advocacy to bridge the gap that remained an obstacle between the two bodies for years.
The Cape Coast Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s vigorous advocacy campaign has yielded the needed dividends by striking a common ground between the two bodies.
The advocacy action by the CCRCCI is sponsored by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund and supported by DANIDA, USAID and the European Union.
The post CoDA earmarks GH¢7.2m for Cape Coast artisans appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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