The Residents Landlords Association of Amamorley in the Ga North Municipal Assembly are working with the Assembly Members to construct a police station to enhance the security of the community.
The project, expected to be completed in 36 months, is funded partly from proceeds from ground rent payments, contributions from landowners, and some businesses in the community, with support from the Municipal Assembly.
At a town hall meeting over the weekend to discuss community development issues, including the payment of ground rent, property tax, environmental sanitation, and peace and security, all players committed to the project.
Nii Ashitey Tetteh, Acting Chief of the Amamorley community, encouraged collective ownership and commitment to completing the project.
‘Just as we have seen in the past with the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) projects, we will use our ground rent for development projects, including the Police station, for the people of our land t
o enjoy the benefits,’ he said.
Speaking with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Raymond Tetteh Commey, Assemblyman, Amamorley Electoral Area, said the project was to enhance security in the community, especially during festive seasons.
‘The central and local government cannot do it all, so that’s what we intend to do as a community and we’ll break grounds during the Homowo festival on the land that the allodial owners have provided for the project,’ he said.
The design of the project would be provided by the Ghana Police Service, and a committee set up to see to the successful implementation of the project, the Assemblyman said.
Mr Ohenmeng Agyie, a landowner, noted that though criminal activities were not rife in Amamorley, it was important they took precautionary measures, hence, their support for the construction of the Police station.
During the town hall meeting, landowners called for an updated data system for the collection of the ground rent, amnesty, as well as a review of the current rate on the
ground rent to engender compliance.
Ground rent is a levy paid by landlords owning leasehold properties in Ghana.
The Stool Lands Administrator’s Office is mandated to collect the levies, with a percentage of the revenue allocated to the local authority for development projects.
Mrs Anita Annan, Chief Stool Lands Inspector, Ga North Municipal Assembly, explained that the challenges were because of boundary demarcation, but said the Assembly stood ready to assist in resolving it.
Source: Ghana News Agency