Africa-Press – Ghana. The Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) has conducted a Community Needs Assessment engagement for residents of Kakasunka, Mlitsakpo, Sebrepor, Bethlehem, and Gbetsile, collectively under the KAMSBEG Zonal Council.
The engagement formed part of the preparatory activities towards the formulation of the 2026 to 2029 Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), in line with the National Development Planning (System) Act, 1994 (Act 480).
The MTDP is also designed to ensure that the Assembly’s local development priorities were aligned with the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (MTNDPF), as well as national and global development goals such as Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.)
Madam Zubaida Damago, the Senior Development Planning Officer at the KKMA, addressing the participants, emphasised that the Community Needs Assessment was a critical step in the planning process and it provides a participatory platform for residents to voice their developmental challenges, aspirations, and priorities.
Madam Damago stated that “this engagement empowers community members to collectively identify and analyse the key issues affecting their localities because sustainable development is a shared journey, not a top-down directive”.
She said some recurring concerns across the assembly’s outreach sessions included poor road infrastructure, inadequate access to quality healthcare, and educational challenges.
Madam Damago urged community members to take ownership of the planning process by actively participating in identifying and prioritising their needs, indicating
that “when residents become agents of change instead of passive observers, we are more likely to achieve inclusive and responsive development outcomes.”
She said citizen engagement enhances participatory governance, strengthened transparency, and ensured that planning outcomes were both people-centered and evidence-driven.
“Our goal is to ensure the developmental priorities set would truly reflect the needs, aspirations and challenges of the residents,” she reiterated.
Reflecting on the performance of the 2022–2025 MTDP, she said 342 out of 357, planned interventions had been implemented as of the first quarter of 2025, covering key development dimensions such as economic and social development, environment, infrastructure, human settlements, governance, corruption, public accountability, emergency planning and COVID-19 response, implementation, as well as coordination, monitoring, and evaluation.
Notable achievements included the construction of a CHPS compound at Mlitsakpo and the completion of a dormitory block at the Kpone Senior High School.
Madam Damago further revealed that proposals from the community such as the construction of additional school infrastructure, improvements in drainage and roads, and enhanced healthcare and security services would be factored into the upcoming 2026-2029 Medium-Term Development Plan.
The session was well attended by a broad section of stakeholders, including traditional leaders, assembly members, religious leaders, representatives from youth and women’s groups, persons with disabilities, local business owners, school authorities, civil society organisations, and officials from decentralised departments.
Their contributions provided a holistic perspective on community development needs and reaffirmed the shared commitment to collaborative planning and inclusive governance.
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