The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, former president, John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to kickstart a feasibility study for a new city outside Accra to tackle the mounting congestion in the capital.
This initiative aims to establish a fresh hub of growth, sparking numerous job opportunities during construction and beyond.
While Accra will retain its status as the capital, Mahama proposes to ease congestion by relocating select government ministries, departments, agencies, and financial institutions to the new city.
The envisioned future city, spanning Greater Accra, Eastern, and Volta regions, would likely be positioned near the Volta Lake.
It is envisioned as a sustainable, digital metropolis with tourist attractions, industrial parks, and financial services, envisioned as a bustling 24-hour hub.
“We will commence a feasibility study with a plan to construct a new city. Accra is grid-locked, and the time has arrived for us to relocate certain parts of the government services from Accra. Accra will remain the capital, but we will transfer a portion of it elsewhere.”
There is already available land on the Accra Plains and the opposite bank of the Volta Lake. Moreover, we are establishing a port terminal in Mpakadan to transport cargo to the northern part of the country.”
“There is abundant land in that area, allowing us to relocate some ministries, agencies, and departments out of the city and alleviate congestion,” he said.
The former President said, “Accra has expanded to its limits, and if we are not cautious, managing it as a sustainable city will become difficult. Thus, we will initiate the planning, design, and feasibility process. I anticipate that this project may take around 20 years to complete, but we need to take the first steps. Subsequent generations can then continue where we left off.”
Mahama emphasized that much of the investment for this venture will come from private sector partnerships.
These declarations were made during an interaction with the European Union Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.