Somanya: The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), alongside key collaborators, has organized a stakeholders’ engagement to present base maps and local development plans for four communities in the Yilo Krobo Municipality.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative, focused on promoting sustainable development and structured growth, involved collaboration between the Office of Stool Lands, the Lands Commission, and the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly. The communities benefiting from this effort are Somanya, Nkurakan, Oterkporlu, and Klo-Agogo.
The University of Environment and Sustainable Development hosted an event aimed at disseminating the outcomes of the ongoing spatial planning project. The event saw a significant turnout of stakeholders, including local leaders, community members, technical experts, and government officials.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure orderly development in rapidly growing areas, with a focus on land use, resource management, and urban growth. Mr. Chapman Owusu Sekyere, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of LUSPA, emphasized the critical role spatial planning plays in building sustainable communities. He explained that LUSPA’s mandate included preparing base maps and spatial plans to guide development, ensuring towns and cities grow in an efficient and structured manner.
Mr. Samuel Larbi Darko, an engineer and President of the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LiSAG), commended the Yilo Krobo Municipality for piloting the project, expressing hope for its eventual expansion to other regions. He urged the government to provide financial backing to replicate the initiative nationwide.
Ms. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister, highlighted the importance of stakeholder involvement in the planning process. She stressed that engaging community members, local leaders, technical experts, and government agencies was crucial for developing plans that genuinely reflect the community’s aspirations.
Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact on Somanya’s development and its surrounding areas, including the university itself. He assured the university’s full support for initiatives promoting sustainable growth in Yilo Krobo.
The Land Sector Agencies, including LUSPA, LiSAG, the Office of Stool Lands, and the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission, were officially inaugurated in May 2021 to assist Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in planning areas with rapidly expanding land-based investments. This project, also launched in May 2021, seeks to identify fast-growing communities and create base maps and local plans to ensure structured urbanization.
The stakeholders’ engagement was a pivotal step in updating the public on the project’s progress and encouraging their active participation in the planning process.