More sub-metros for Accra Metropolitan Assembly

Accra Metropolitan Assembly is to have 11 more metro assemblies created in addition to the present six to allow for effective management and control of social services.

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, announced this in Parliament Thursday.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu said at present there were over 70 petitions from various parts of the country for the creation of separate districts out of the existing ones and the request from the Chereponi area would be considered alongside the other petitions.

The Local Government Act, Act 462 specifies conditions for the creation of districts some of which are population threshold, geographical contiguity and economic viability and there should be a minimum population threshold of 75,000 people before an area could be delineated as a district.

The Local Government ministry says it is at present reviewing some of these conditions and a proposal had now been laid before Cabinet for consideration to vary the population threshold from absolute figures to a percentage of the total national population.

Review of the population factor, the Minister said would depend on objective criteria to raising of the status of new districts.

Mr. E. T. Mensah, NDC-Ningo/Prampram, suggested that consideration be given to traditional boundaries adding that there was the need for the relevant portions of the criteria to be amended especially concerning population of the areas and the Minister said an amendment to the Local Act, Act 462 was in the offing.