We’ll commence plans for a new city outside Accra to ease congestion – Mahama

The Flag bearer of one of Ghana’s largest political party National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama says he will start a plan, design and conduct a feasibility study for construction of a new city outside Accra to ease the growing congestion.

According to the former President, the move will help create a new growth pole and create hundreds of thousand of jobs during the construction phase and after completion.

While Accra remains the capital, the time has come to decongest it by relocating some of the Government ministries, departments, agencies and financial institutions outside the city.

He believes that a future city could straddle three regions including Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta Regions and would be close to the Volta Lake with abundant water. The new city would be a green and digital city and have tourist and amusement attractions, industrial parks and financial services. He said the new city will be a 24 hour city and would not sleep.

He said much of the investments for the new city will be leveraged by the private sector and through public private partnerships.

President Mahama made these revelations when he was speaking with the European Union Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, 28th May, 2024.

“We will commence a feasibility study with a plan to construct a new city. Accra is grid- locked, and the time has arrived for us to relocate certain parts of the government services from Accra.”

“Accra will remain the capital, but we will transfer a portion of it elsewhere. There is already available land on the Accra Plains and the opposite bank of the Volta Lake. Moreover, we are establishing a port terminal in Mpakadan to transport cargo to the northern part of the country.”

“There is abundant land in that area, allowing us to relocate some ministries, agencies, and departments out of the city and alleviate congestion,” he said.

The former President said, “Accra has expanded to its limits, and if we are not cautious, managing it as a sustainable city will become difficult. Thus, we will initiate the planning, design, and feasibility process. I anticipate that this project may take around 20 years to complete, but we need to take the first steps. Subsequent generations can then continue where we left off.”

The former President while on the Building Ghana Tour also assured citizens of decongesting the industrial enclave of the Tema area towards the western corridor for industrialization and job creation.

Source: Today.com.gh