BIAKOYE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY DISTRICT MEDIUM TERM DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2010-2013) PREPARED BY: DISTRICT PLANNING COORDINATING UNIT SEPTEMBER, 2010 THIS MAIDEN DMTDP OF THE BIAKOYE DISTRICT SPELT OUT THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES FORMULATED TO ENHANCE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT. IT CONTAINED PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS BASED ON THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE. THE PLAN WAS PREPARED BASED ON THE GHANA SHARED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AGENDA (2010-2013) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the year 2007, the Biakoye District was established out of the Jasikan District. The administration of the District commenced on 20th December 2010. On 15th March 2011, the District was officially inaugurated. As its long term vision, “Biakoye District seeks to become the leading aqua culture and vegetable exporting Districts in the country”. In terms of mission “the Biakoye District Assembly exists to ensure the social, economic and political well-being of its people through public-private partnership and fiscal, material, human resources mobilization in an atmosphere of peace and unity”. As part of its planning functions spelt out in Act 462 of 1993, this maiden District Medium Term Development Plan was prepared based on the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (2010-2013). This document is prepared in accordance with Section 1 (3), 2 (1) and 10 (3) of the National Development Planning Commission (System), Act 480 (1993). In this regard, this 2010-2013 DMTDP is a legal document of the Assembly and it is meant to chart the path of socio-economic development of the District especially as it was endorsed by the District Assembly during an ordinary session of the Assembly as a law making body of the District. The plan preparation started with a data collection as it was the first of its kind in the District. The District Profile was generated and in addition community needs and aspirations were elicited. One important aspect of this plan is that it was prepared in a very participatory manner where representatives of all the communities were consulted from the data collection stage to the last stage of the plan preparation culminating in a Public Hearing conducted at each of the Town/Area Council centres for their validation of the plan. This Plan is multi-sectoral and adopts an integrated approach to solving community problems and needs. Major sectors covered by the plan are the Physical and Natural Environment, Demography, Culture, Human Settlement, Social Services, Economy, Vulnerability and Exclusion and Governance. i The following are summaries of the major district development issues identified under the seven (7) thematic areas of the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (2010-2013 Ensuring and sustaining macroeconomic stability Low mobilization of revenue for development Weak capacity of the District Assembly and its sub-structures in collection and management of revenue Low Investment drive in the District Enhancing competitiveness in Ghana’s private sector Poor condition of production and marketing infrastructure Lack of access to finance/credit for local entrepreneurs Poor entrepreneurial orientation Generally low industrial productivity Lack of adequate tourism infrastructure Inadequate job creation Accelerated agricultural modernization and sustainable natural resource management Inadequate post-production infrastructure (i.e. storage, processing, transport etc). Generally lower earnings in the agriculture Poor rural road infrastructure Low agricultural productivity and output Inadequate credit facilities High levels of environmental degradation Forest destruction by chainsaw operators Oil and gas development High District unemployment levels Very high expectations of benefits from the Oil and Gas Industry Infrastructure, energy and human settlements development ii Undeveloped community access roads Low ICT infrastructure base Inadequate community/social centres Encroachment on waterways, natural reserve areas Inadequate power supply infrastructure and access to electricity Widespread soil erosion in the settlements Indiscriminate disposal of waste Haphazard development in towns and communities due to absence of layouts Inadequate housing in urban areas especially the District capital Poor quality of rural housing (exposed foundation, leaking roof, crack walls) Inadequate access to quality and affordable water Poor Environmental Sanitation Human development, productivity and employment Inadequate infrastructure Poor quality education Inadequate teacher housing facilities in deprived communities Limited access to health facilities especially to deprived communities Inadequate sports facilities in schools Low awareness of and violation of child rights Prevalence of worst forms of child labour (WFCL) High level of youth unemployment High incidence of poverty among disadvantaged groups especially PWDs and food crop farmers Transparent and accountable governance Low interaction between public and private sector in governance Weak capacity of MMDAs to ensure improved performance and service delivery iii Dysfunctional sub district structures Weak internal revenue mobilization Over-dependence on DACF and other external grants Weak capacity of personnel and logistics shortfall Lack of conducive working environment for civil servants Inadequate women representation and participation in public life and governance Risks associated with fire, floods and other natural disasters to life and property Chieftaincy disputes and communal conflicts Lack of adequate and reliable database to inform decision making In order to address the major development challenges and to provide and meet the needs and aspirations of the people, the Biakoye District Development goal is “to accelerate the economic growth of the District towards poverty reduction through creation of the enabling environment for private investment”. This Goal aims at ensuring massive infrastructure development, good governance, and provision of raw materials (agriculture modernization), provision of qualified labour force (human resource development) and orderly human settlement development among others. Based on the needs and aspirations of the District, some strategies, programmes and projects have been put together by the heads of DPCU and Assembly members. These activities were put together in composite programme of action and costs were assigned to each activity. The overall estimated cost of this development plan is GH¢19,046,158 as shown below. Financial Indicative Plan Sector Cost (GH¢) D/A Others Thematic Area Fiscal revenue mobilization 43,000 9,500 33,500 Public expenditure 6,000 6,000 Ensuring and sustaining management macroeconomic stability Sub-Total 49,000 9,500 39,500 Job creation 90,300 7,800 82,500 iv Development of market 656,000 656,000 Enhancing competitiveness infrastructure in Ghana’s private sector Sub-Total 746,300 7,800 738,500 Increase agriculture 544,320 544,320 Accelerated Agricultural productivity Modernization and Agriculture service delivery 540,000 540,000 Sustainable Natural Resource Sustainable natural resource 8,000 8,000 Management management Sub total 1,092,320 1,092,320 Increasing the chances of the 13,000 13,000 youth in the oil and gas sector Oil and gas development Sub-Total 13,000 13,000 Road infrastructure 6,400,000 6,400,000 Water 340,000 340,000 Electricity 267,000 267,000 Infrastructure, Energy and Environmental Sanitation 967,000 967,000 Human Settlements Human settlement 72,517 72,517 Development development Energy 5,000 2,500 2,500 Sub-total 8,051,517 2,500 8,049,017 Education 2,948,121 2,948,121 Human Development, Health 1,073,000 1,073,000 Productivity and HIV and AIDS 175,000 175,000 Employment Productivity and Employment 100,000 100,000 Sub-Total 4,296,121 4,296,121 Transparent and Accountable 4,767,900 133,800 4,634,100 Transparent and Accountable Governance Governance Total 19,016,158 153,600 18,862,558 Dissemination of information 30,000 15,000 15,000 District Communication Plan on the implementation of the DMTDP GRAND TOTAL 19,046,158 168,600 18,877,558 Overall Total Including Communication Plan Cost Estimates v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Executive Summary i Table of Contents vi List of Tables ix List of Figures x List of Acronyms xi CHAPTER ONE DISTRICT PROFILE 1.1 Location and Size 1 1.2 Relief and Drainage 1 1.3 Climate 2 1.4 Geology 2 1.5 Vegetation 2 1.6 Land Tenure System 3 1.7 Demographic Characteristics 4 1.8 Energy and Fuel 13 1.9 Spatial Analysis 13 1.10 District Economy 15 1.11 Post and Telecommunication 22 1.12 Tourism 22 1.13 Festivals 24 1.14 Governance 25 1.15 Traditional Authority 26 1.16 Security 26 1.17 Social Services 27 1.18 Water and Sanitation 31 1.19 Housing 33 1.20 Transportation and Road Network 34 1.21 Electricity 35 vi 1.22 Vulnerability Analysis 35 1.23 Gender 37 1.24 Eliciting Community Perspectives on Current Needs and Aspirations 37 1.25 Key Development Problems arising from the community needs and aspirations 45 CHAPTER TWO Linking Identified Key Development Problems/Issues to GSGDA 2010-2013 2.1 Key Development Issues 49 2.2 Prioritized Development Issues of the Biakoye District 52 2.3 Application of Potentials, Opportunities, Constraints and Challenges 53 CHAPTER THREE FORMULATION OF DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT GOAL, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 3.1 District Goal 62 3.2 Goal Compatibility Analysis 62 3.3 District Development Objectives 63 CHAPTER FOUR FORMULATION OF DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 4.1 Composite Programme of Action (POA)