Pressure group calls for accelerated development of Sunyani

The Sunyani for Development Association (SFDA), a community development association has observed that despite its endowments and contributions to national development, Sunyani lacks some infrastructure and amenities necessary for the socio-economic development of the city.

In a statement copied to the media and signed by Mr Kwadwo Boahen and Dr Mrs Vida Korang, Chairman and Secretary respectively for the association, the group said “our careful observation, which is indeed shared by many stakeholders, is that Sunyani is regrettably at where it is now largely because of the actions and inactions of some persons and entities, public and private at all levels of responsibilities, who have been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the affairs of Sunyani”.

The statement said: “The current state of Sunyani reflects a collective and systemic failure by such individuals and entities in upholding due care and duty towards the development of Sunyani. There is apparent lack of social accountability on the part of some position holders in the discharge of their duties”

The statement added that: “There is an apparent weak coordination and collaboration among institutions, state-owned and otherwise. This phenomenon has over the period and across all political regimes in Bono Region negatively impacted resource allocation and optimisation for the development of the city. This undoubtedly has resulted in the prolonged total developmental neglect of Sunyani”

The SFDA further observed that “Relative to what happens in other communities in the country, some key projects in Sunyani both get started and never get completed or they are not provided at all by the state through its agencies”.

The association noted that: “The road network in Sunyani is very bad, with large portions of it being dusty and un-motorable”, adding that “It is sad to note that Sunyani is the only regional capital in Ghana with the shortest kilometers of asphalted road.

The Sunyani ring road project, which aims at easing vehicular traffic in the city centre and which was started over four decades ago, has seen very little progress.

This is despite the numerous sod cuttings ceremonies on the same project by various political leaders, including the one by the current Vice President of the Republic in September 2020”.

According to the association, “The centralised and poor road network causes vehicular traffic, high vehicle maintenance cost, high transport charges and loss of productive man hours.

We, therefore, charge the responsible authorities to take the necessary steps to fix the poor road network”.

MARKET AND LORRY STATIONS

The statement said, “The nature, size and facilities at the central market and lorry stations are far short of matching the demand of the increasing population size of a regional capital, like Sunyani.

“This has resulted in the springing up of unauthorised and uncontrolled markets and lorry stations in the city and indiscipline by some recalcitrant drivers who disobey traffic regulations with impunity” and, therefore, demanded for a state sponsored market complex.

“Sunyani demands its fair share of state-sponsored modern market complex as being done for other communities in the country”, the statement said.

SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT

The SFDA said: “The spatial development of the city is being threatened and Sunyani has lost its pride of being orderly and the cleanest city in the country.

Permanent structures of commercial and residential nature including kiosks are inordinately springing up all over the city at unauthorized places.

“Lands reserved for future provision of social facilities such as schools, hospitals, police stations, lorry stations, markets and recreation has been encroached upon with impunity.

This denies the city of the use of such lands, and this has serious repercussions on the socio-economic development of residents”.

The association, therefore, demanded that responsible state agencies should demolish all unauthorised structures and reclaim all encroached lands

“We demand that responsible state and private agencies should take immediate measures to demolish all unauthorized structures, reclaim all encroached lands and protect the lands of Sunyani. We appeal to Nananom of Sunyani Traditional Council to actively assist in this regard”, the statement said.

HEALTH

The SFDA pointed out that there is only one regional hospital in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions, a situation which affect the effective and efficient delivery of health services in the three regions.

“The whole of Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions have one Regional Hospital located in Sunyani. There is no Teaching Hospital in any of these regions. There are, however, some health training institutions in the catchment areas which can support the establishment of a Teaching Hospital in Sunyani”.

The SFDA said the Sunyani Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Berekum Nursing and Midwifery training College, Tanoso Community Health Nurses’ Training College, St Elizabeth Hospital, Hwidiem among others can support the establishment of a teaching hospital.

TEACHING HOSPITAL

The group argued that “A Teaching Hospital will train and develop students from the health training institutions and as well support the proposed Medical School at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani”.

Again, the group said, “A Teaching Hospital will also serve the health needs of the people in the three Regions and those from other parts of the country and beyond and, therefore, appealed for the upgrade of the Sunyani Regional Hospital into a Teaching Hospital as soon as possible.

EDUCATION

The statement said: “The only public library in Sunyani, which was scheduled to have been completed some eighteen (18) years ago is yet to be completed, whilst the Children’s Library located on the abandoned children park has been left to rot.

This situation, according the SFDA, hampers human capital development, especially in the Tertiary, Senior and Junior High institutions.

The group, therefore, appealed to responsible authorities to, as a matter of priority, complete the Sunyani Library Complex and the Sunyani Children’s Library, to enhance academic and career development of inhabitants of the city.

SOCIAL CENTER

The SFDA observed that “Sunyani has no social center and no recreational center. The only public social center, known as Sunyani Civic Centre, is said to have been given out many years ago by the Sunyani Municipal Assembly (SMA) to a private developer on a Public Private Partnership arrangement, for the development of a complex social center. The structure was demolished and the site has since remained fallow”.

This, according to the group, has negatively impacted the organisation of social events and community engagements such as public education, entertainment, marriages, and funerals.

The SFDA, therefore, appealed to the Sunyani Municipal Assembly and the responsible entities to as a matter of urgency take the necessary measures to ensure that Sunyani is provided with befitting social centers, to enhance the social lives of the people.

The SFDA added that: “The Sunyani Coronation Park serves as a Sports Stadium which host major sporting and social events in the city, but the central location, limited spectators and events capacity and facilities of the park does not support sports development in the city.

Recalling the exploits of distinguished national and international sports personalities, including Kwasi Owusu, Dan Owusu, Agyemang Gyau and Alex Opoku, the SFDA appealed to the responsible state institutions to provide a suitable Sports Stadium Complex for Sunyani.

CULTURE

The group observed that culture, which identifies the people, has not received much attention because the construction of the Centre for National Culture in Sunyani which started in the 1960s during the 1st Republic is still not completed.

“Facilities at the centre are woefully inadequate and out of date, which cannot meaningfully support the vision or its establishment. This impairs effective promotion of the desired national, Bono and Sunyani cultural heritages”.

“The youth in the town stand the risk of losing their cultural identity and national heritage while potential income from tourism is also not realised”, the statement said and urged authorities to make effective use of the Centre for National Culture in Sunyani.

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

According to the SFDA, collaboration and cooperation between political leaders, traditional leaders and opinion leaders is key to socio-economic development and called on political actors and traditional authorities to deepen their collaboration to enhance the development of Sunyani.

ABOUT SFDA

The Sunyani for Development Association (SFDA) is a community development association with membership consisting of residents of Sunyani, both indigenes and non–indigenes living in Ghana and abroad. SFDA is a non-ethnic, non-religious and non-political association.

The vision of SFDA is to collaborate with stakeholders in promoting progressive and sustainable socio-economic development in Sunyani to enhance livelihoods of residents.

In pursuant of the vision of SFDA, the Association engages key stakeholders of varied persuasions on general developmental agenda of Sunyani, seeking collaborative ways of uplifting Sunyani to its proper status as a Regional Capital, and as well promoting the wellbeing of inhabitants of the city.

 

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