The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has cut sod to begin six development projects across the education, health, roads and water sectors in the Ashiedu Keteke, Ablekuma South and Okaikoi South Sub-Metropolitan Districts, as part of efforts to strengthen basic services and accelerate community infrastructure delivery in the metropolis.

The projects include the renovation of a three-storey, nine-unit classroom block at the Private Odartey Lamptey Basic School, upgrades at the Makola Clinic, and road reshaping, base preparation and the laying of paving blocks along the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue corridor in the Central Business District.

Other works include the drilling and mechanisation of 10 boreholes in selected schools in Ablekuma South and the construction of nine water storage facilities in selected markets in Okaikoi South, alongside other related community infrastructure activities under the package.

Speaking in an interview at the school, the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, said the projects were expected to be completed within four to 10 months from commencement, funded through the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and the Assembly’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF).

He expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for supporting assemblies through the Common Fund to undertake local development and also acknowledged the support and guidance he said he continued to receive from a senior colleague with extensive experience in local governance.

The Mayor called on residents to support the Assembly’s work, insisting that governance must be driven by action and service to the people, and said the AMA remained focused on delivering visible improvements across communities.

He urged contractors on the ongoing projects to work to specification, deliver quality outcomes, and meet the agreed timelines to ensure residents receive value for money and improved services.

At a sod-cutting ceremony for the drilling and mechanisation of a borehole at Korle Gonno (Korle Boys), the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South Constituency, Hon. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuijie, said the intervention formed part of a wider plan to provide 10 boreholes in carefully selected schools across the metropolis to address persistent water challenges.

The MP explained that the decision was informed by the financial constraints many schools faced, noting that schools that previously relied on PTA contributions were increasingly unable to raise such support.

 He said the Assembly, in collaboration with his office, had prioritised the boreholes to augment water supply and strengthen sanitation in schools, particularly in the wake of lessons from COVID-19 on the importance of hygiene and handwashing.

On the construction of the roads, the Member of Parliament said he had consistently called on the Mayor to prioritise the fixing of the deteriorated road due to the hardship it imposed on residents, motorists and commuters.

He said the poor state of the road affected vehicle movement and worsened flooding during rains, making the area difficult to navigate, linking the intervention to President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to deliver development and improve living conditions.

The MP said that although an initial completion timeline of six months had been mentioned, he would insist on faster delivery within three months by ensuring the contractor worked round-the-clock, in line with the government’s 24-hour economy policy, to bring relief to residents and road users.