In a move to ensure proper physical planning, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has introduced an Online Development-Permitting-Tracking platform to speed-up processing of development permit.
The Online Development-Permitting-Tracking platform, stma360.org, is expected to enable developers to track the stage of their permit processing at their convenience without going to the office.
The Chief Executive of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Anthony K. K. Sam, said the Online Development-Permitting-Tracking platform will drastically reduce the time people spend on permitting processing and is also expected to attract investors.
The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, due to its close proximity to Ghana’s current offshore commercial petroleum industry, is gradually becoming the hub of Ghana’s oil and gas industry, hence its new status as the Oil-City.
However, the city’s physical development does not merit its oil-city status.
It is for this reason, that the STMA’s Physical Planning Department has launched a Development Control Week to sensitize developers on its Physical Planning strategies.
Addressing a press conference in Sekondi as part of activities marking the development control week, Mr. K. K. Sam, said the STMA is opened to investment, therefore, the introduction of the Online Development-Permitting-Tracking platform to speed up permitting.
In his justification for the assembly’s physical planning strategies, he said they are necessary for the desired Oil-City.
“We want an oil-city with developed roads that has pedestrian walkways, an oil-city with high scrape-buildings, with well-developed markets and schools. An oil-city where people do not build in reserved areas for future expansion. All of these will depend on proper physical planning strategy. This is what will make oil industry workers come with their children to stay and thereby attracting other investors”.
The STMA Physical Planning Officer, Kofi Yeboah whose department is spearheading the Development Control Week as well as managing the stma360.org platform where developers can track the processing of their document urged the developers to utilize the platform and avoid intermediaries in the processing of permits.
He urged the public to participate in the STMA’s Development Control Week activities to gain an understanding on all development permitting processes.
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By: Akwasi Agyei Anim | citinewsroom.com | Ghana