The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has disclosed an ambitious plan to tackle the congestion in Accra by initiating the design and feasibility study for a new city.
Speaking to the European Union Chamber of Commerce, former President John Dramani Mahama outlined his vision for a new urban centre that would serve as a growth pole and generate hundreds of thousands of jobs during its construction and after its completion.
“Accra is gridlocked, and the time has arrived for us to relocate certain parts of the government services from Accra,” Mahama stated.
“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.”
Mahama envisions the new city straddling three regions—Greater Accra, Eastern, and Volta Regions—and situated near the Volta Lake, benefiting from abundant water resources.
“The proposed city would be a green, digital hub featuring tourist attractions, amusement parks, industrial zones, and financial services. “The new city will be a 24-hour city and would not sleep,” he added.
The former president emphasized the significant role of the private sector and public-private partnerships in financing the project and added. “Much of the investments for the new city will be leveraged by the private sector and through public-private partnerships.”
The NDC flagbearer stressed the urgent need for this initiative to manage Accra’s sustainability and argued that Accra has expanded to its limits, and if caution is not taken, 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”,” he added.
During his Building Ghana Tour, Mahama also assured citizens of his commitment to decongesting the industrial enclave of Tema and promoting industrialization and job creation in the western corridor.
“We will commence a feasibility study with a plan to construct a new cit. There is abundant land in that area, allowing us to relocate some ministries, agencies, and departments out of the city and alleviate congestion,” he added.