Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Donatus Akamugri Atanga, has warned that weak spatial planning could undermine development projects in the region and leave communities grappling with uncoordinated settlements, poor sanitation and inadequate access to essential services.
He said the Regional Spatial Planning Committee (RSPC) must urgently become functional and work closely with metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to ensure that development projects and settlements are guided by proper spatial plans.
The Minister made the call at the third-quarter meeting of the RSPC at the Regional Coordinating Council conference room on Tuesday.
He expressed concern that the committee had not been functioning effectively for more than a year, stressing that spatial planning was fundamental to the region’s development.
“Spatial planning is very, very important,” he stressed, urging members of the committee to take their responsibilities seriously.
Hon. Akamugri pointed to the planned construction of an airport in the region as an example of a major project that required careful planning ahead of its implementation.
He warned that the airport could attract new settlements and trigger rapid development around the facility, potentially creating problems for authorities if adequate plans were not put in place beforehand.
According to him, the failure to anticipate such developments could result in settlements emerging without proper roads, drainage systems and other infrastructure needed to support growing populations.
The Minister also cited parts of Bolgatanga where some areas become difficult to access during fire outbreaks, saying the situation illustrated the practical consequences of inadequate spatial planning.
He therefore urged the RSPC to regularly review the spatial plans of the various assemblies and engage them to ensure that development was guided by approved plans.
Hon. Akamugri also connected weak spatial planning to the region’s sanitation challenges.
He said properly planned communities would make it easier for authorities to provide drainage systems, organise waste collection and deliver other essential services.
The Minister cautioned authorities against waiting until rural communities had expanded into large settlements before introducing proper spatial planning.
He said the region’s ambition to attain higher levels of development must be backed by effective planning and coordination among institutions responsible for managing its physical growth.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
