The Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, (STMA) is developing a new Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) to help the assembly properly plan for the socio-economic growth of the metropolis.

The MTDP is a statutory obligation of the various assemblies in accordance with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) 1994 (ACT 479) to prepare a new MTDP to reflect the current and future expectation of the Assemblies.

Mr. Isaac Aidoo, Assistant Officer of the Development Planning Unit of the Assembly told the Ghana News Agency that the Unit was initiating a process of preparing the 2014 2017 MTDP, using the new Guidelines prepared by the National Development Planning Commission.

He said the Assembly had also prepared a detailed work plan and budget to facilitate the development of the 2014 2017 development plans.

Mr. Aidoo said the current Guidelines are designed to facilitate the preparation of District Medium Term Development Plans (DMTDPs) reflecting spatial dimensions under the National Medium-Term Development Policy Framework (NMTDPF) 2014-2017).

The Assistant Planner revealed that the Guidelines was divided into four chapters with focus on the background, rationale and the process of developing, the roles of key actors, particularly, the District Planning Coordinating Units (DPCUs) and Regional Planning Coordinating Unit (RPCU) at the district and regional levels respectively.

The rest of the Chapter deals with the detailed activities including the relevant steps for the development of the DMTDP, procedures for harmonizing the DMTDPs by the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) structure and format of the DMTDP.

Mr. Aidoo mentioned other strategic direction and thematic areas as ensuring and sustaining macroeconomic stability, competitiveness of Ghanas Private Sector, Accelerated Agriculture Modernisation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management.

He said the Assembly was undergoing a performance review of the previous plan (2010-2013), Data Collection, compilation and updating the Metro Profile as part of the process of preparing the new Medium Term Development Plan.

The Assistant Planner added that the 2010-2013 performance review under the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda would cover areas such as the achievement of set goals, Policy objectives/targets and interventions in HIV and AIDS Plans, gender, environment, Climate Change, population as well as social protection programmes.

The Metro Development Planning Unit therefore entreats all stakeholders and communities to fully participate and contribute to the development of the new MDTP (2014-2017).

He alluded to some achievement chalked under the 2010-2013 development plans as construction of the Sofokrom Landfill site, completion of the shippers roundabout, Akromakrom JHS and modern fish smoking and processing facility.

GNA