TAMA COMPLETES SIX PROJECTS (PAGE 23, AUGUST 12, 2010)

THE Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) and its partners have released more than GH¢1.6 million to undertake six projects in the Metropolis.
The projects, some of which have been completed and others ongoing, are the construction of a 20-seater toilet facility and a wall at Koblimahagu, a 20-seater toilet facility for the Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO), road markings and rumble strips at various locations within the Metropolis.
The rest are the completion of an Out Patients Department (OPD) building for the Tamale West Hospital, an ongoing construction of an assembly hall complex and repair of a grader belonging to the assembly.
The projects were funded with the TaMA’s share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) under its District Wide Assistance Programme (DIWAP) and the Ghana Road Fund.
During a tour of the facilities, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, urged the contractors to complete the ongoing projects as soon as practicable.
According to him, the assembly hall complex which was being funded by the DACF is estimated to cost GH¢1.3 million while the OPD for the Tamale West Hospital costs GH¢139,871. The OPD was funded by CIDA under its DIWAP programme.
He further explained that the 20-seater toilet facility located at Koblimahagu costs GH¢76,000 while the similar facility constructed at GHANASCO costs GH¢44,000. The toilets were constructed with funds from the DACF.
The MCE commended the TaMA’s development partners, like the CIDA, for supporting development projects in the three northern regions.
Alhaji Haruna later inaugurated the OPD that has six consulting rooms.
The facility would ultimately help ease congestion at the Tamale West Hospital’s old OPD.
The MCE cautioned residents, particularly squatters, against breaching the peaceful atmosphere around the new OPD and entreated management of the hospital to take good care of the facility.
The Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr Bashiru Majeed, observed that the hospital faced such challenges as poor ventilation, congestion and inadequate space for both patients and health personnel on duty.
“Most of the health personnel usually hang around without offices due to the congestion; in fact, the new facility would help ease a lot of pressure on the few facilities at the hospital,” he pointed out.