EVEN though a substantive chief executive for the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TAMA) is yet to be nominated and confirmed, it is clear that any distinguished personality who would occupy that enviable position would have a Herculean task.
Being one of the fastest growing cities in the country, the metropolis comes with its own challenges. Indeed anybody who is chosen as the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive would first of all need to unite the people who are clearly divided on both chieftaincy and political lines.
The existing Dagbon Chieftaincy crisis and the differences between the Andani and Abudu Royal Gates have existed for some decades but became more pronounced after the unfortunate happenings in Yendi in March 2002 that led to the death of the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and his retinue of elders.
Since then, a permanent solution is yet to be arrived at in the protracted crisis. It is further worsened by the fact that it has taken a deep rooted political dimension that has resulted in some disturbances between some sympathisers of the two major parties in the metropolis; the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the years.
It would, therefore, be the duty of a new MCE to work assiduously with the leadership and followers of the two sides and the various political parties, particularly the NDC and the NPP to ensure the sustenance of the prevailing peace in the area for accelerated development.
Another area that the MCE would have to work on is helping to find jobs for the army of energetic but unemployed youth in the metropolis. The devil, they say, finds work for idle hands, and so it is not surprising that this particular group of exuberant youth is used by some selfish individuals and groups to foment trouble at the least provocation.
Arguably, Tamale has one of the best road networks in the country with large parts of it being asphalted and having bicycle lanes, pavements and sealed drains but the siting of illegal structures by the roadside has been a difficult task for the assembly to deal with. As the city expands with the establishment of new suburbs, there would be the need for the tarring of more roads since the exposure of people in those communities to dust poses a lot of health risks to them.
Just like in any growing city, the metropolis has its own challenges of dealing with waste disposal and management. There will have to be constant sensitisation programmes to remind the people of the urgent need to manage their waste responsibly.
Another phenomenon that is now growing out of proportion is the springing up of car washing bays at every nook and cranny of the metropolis.
It is common to see people washing vehicles on the shoulders of the beautifully constructed roads. Apart from the danger such practices pose to both motorists and pedestrians, the soapy water they use also damages the roads since some portions are washed away daily and this ultimately is a huge expense to the taxpayer.
This situation has prompted the concerns of some residents.
“What even bothers me most is the fact that officials of the municipal assembly see this negative practice daily on their way to their offices as they drive by the car washing bays along the road without taking any concrete action to stop it,” a teacher, Nana Osei said.
Also guilty of such practices are mechanics who, instead of moving to the light industrial area that has been demarcated for them to offer their services, have rather erected their sheds along most of the roads in the city. They sometimes do their repair works on the shoulders of the roads, spilling oil on them and subsequently damaging them.
Another area of grave concern to residents is the constant breakdown of traffic lights, especially at some busy road intersections during which the lives of pedestrians and motorists are put in danger and as a motorist, Salifu Alhassan, stated, “I do appreciate the efforts of the police to direct traffic at such difficult times but since they are not there at all times, more attention must be paid to the faulty traffic light system.”
Another resident, Iddi Mohammed, however commended the government for erecting traffic lights in most suburbs of the metropolis, but entreated the assembly to repair those in the central business district that have been out of order for some time now.
The city is indeed blessed with both human and material resources that could have a major impact on the growth of the area, if all hands are put on deck.
Contrary to the negative perception some people have about the metropolis, Tamale is the hub of the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality with its varied culture and traditions.
In all these, the new Mayor will need the political will and courage to carry out his responsibilities for the betterment of the people. It is in the same vein that all residents, despite their affiliation in all chieftaincy and political divides, will have to support and co-operate with whoever is nominated to achieve the desired goals of making Tamale a better place to live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment