The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Keta, Mr. Wisdom Seade, has outlined his vision for transforming the Keta Municipality into a vibrant hub for agriculture, aquaculture, and tourism.
Speaking in an interview with www.parliamentnews360.com at the sidelines of the ongoing Committee sittings by the Local Government and Rural Development in Parliament to consider the Annual Audit Statements of the MMDA’s, Mr. Seade said his immediate focus is on revamping the local agrarian economy by investing in vegetable farming, sugarcane and rice production, and aquaculture, while supporting artisanal fishing along the sea and lagoon.
“We are looking at extending vegetable farming to Lanwoshime, and also developing sugarcane and rice farming in that area. Keta has some of the cleanest beaches in the country, and we can use tourism to create jobs for the youth and stimulate the local economy,” he said.
Ongoing and Legacy Projects
The MCE revealed that work is currently ongoing on two legacy projects inherited from the previous administration, with procurement processes underway to initiate four additional projects by the end of the month.
“Our focus is to complete the CHPS compounds so they can be used, then we will move on to school projects. We are also opening Keta up for investment and working with the Regional Minister to attract investors to the Volta Region,” he noted.
Keta Port Project
On the much-anticipated Keta Port Project, Mr. Seade clarified that the initiative is being handled at the national level and falls outside the financial capacity of the Municipal Assembly.
“The Keta Port is a very strategic project, but it is not under our budget. It is being handled at the national level,” he explained.
Key Challenges
The MCE highlighted sea erosion, perennial lagoon flooding, and poor road networks as major challenges confronting the municipality. He also cited a revenue mobilization challenge due to competition between the Keta and Anloga markets, which operate on the same day and deal in similar commodities.
“We are consulting chiefs and stakeholders to possibly change the Keta market day to attract more traders and buyers. We are also working on improving access roads and parking areas so we can boost revenue collection,” Mr. Seade said.
He called on investors, development partners, and the media to help project Keta’s natural resources and opportunities to attract investment and open up the local economy.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
