What was meant to be a town hall meeting in Jirapa Municipality turned out to be a forum for discussion on the upgrade of the Jirapa market which has some sketchy issues around it.
The town hall meeting was supposed to be a forum for the assembly to explain government policies to the public and to collect feedback from the public to enhance improved developmental projects, programmes and services in the Jirapa Municipality.
The meeting was billed to have departments give account of their stewardship and also listen to grievances and offer explanation to the public on issues of concern.
However, by popular acclamation the audience rather opted to base the conversation on the upgrading of the Jirapa market for what they said was of immense importance and needed a lot more time for proper deliberation to which the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Nicholas Soyiri who presided over the meeting assented.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Nicholas Soyiri, the Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, Naa Ansule Ganaa III, the Presiding Member of the Jirapa Assembly, Benedict Nifaazume and the Municipal Coordinating Director, Majeed Ayariga are notable dignitries who graced the occasion.
Also in attendance were heads of departments, assembly members, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and the general public.
Some of the grievances raised by the gathering were the removal of containers and kiosks at affected areas for the project to kickstart, whether they were plans to relocate displaced businesses and if some individuals were targeted in the removal of structures for work to go on.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Jirapa Municipality, Hon. Nicholas Soyiri explained that the project was a European Union and World Bank project aimed at improving some facilities in farming communities for the convenient movement of farm produce from the farms to marketing areas.
Hon. Soyiri added that some of the areas the project is covering include road improvement and construction, improvement of selected market centers, improvement of some health facilities among others.
He said some of the notable areas the project is covering in the municipality are the improvement of the Jirapa and Tizza markets where in and around the markets will be paved and the improvement of roads at various locations within the municipality and asked for the corporation of all stakeholders quipping that the projects are supposed to be completed within a timeframe which is around the corner and would be affected if haste is not made.
He said various options are being considered in relocating affected businesses and that the project is here to benefit the larger society and that no particular individual is targeted.
On his part, the Paramount Chief of Jirapa, Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa III said all the stakeholders have contacted him and he sees that the project will be of importance to Jirapa and asked that affected people should bear with the situation and relocate their structures so that work can begin and be executed in a timely manner.
He also cautioned that it would be inappropriate if structures are removed only for the project to be stalled a situation he says will not be tolerated.
The Presiding Member of the Jirapa assembly, Hon. Benedict Nifaazume appealed for unity and cooperation especially when it comes to developmental projects and that the assembly which was recently inaugurated is in the process of embarking on full business and will take the development needs of the people at heart.
Throwing more light on the project, Dr. Emil Adumpo who is a social expert for the company executing the project, Memphis Metropolitan Limited, said the project is largely a social faced project aimed at improving the livelihood of the people and that every aspect of it is human centered.
Responding to the issue of the project stalling, he said it isn’t a project as usual and that the European Union and the World Bank being involved in the funding and execution of the project there is every assurance that the project will be executed on schedule.
Dr. Adumpo encouraged community engagement which will ensure a tailor made project to solve the needs of the people.
He proposed the formation of a committee of stakeholders so that the contractors will engage with at all stages of the contract to ensure that the project serves the purpose for which it is intended and serve the very needs of the community.
Rounding up the meeting, the Municipal Coordinating Director, Majeed Ayariga enumerated some of the challenges hampering the development of the municipality, he identified the availability of land as one and admonished land owners to readily release land for development purposes.
Mr. Ayariga called for unity and understanding within the people to promote development, saying that the lack of togetherness is one other factor retarding development.
