Mrs Adwoa Amoako, Tema West Municipal Chief Executive, giving the sessional address, said TMA, which is the mother Assembly, whad delayed in releasing their assets to them leading to accommodation challenges.

Mrs Amoako noted that the lack of official residential accommodation for management and senior staff members continued to pose a very serious challenge to the Assembly.

“It is of interest to note that this challenge exists inspite of the fact that several official bungalows and junior staff quarters abound in Communities two, three and five under our jurisdiction but we are still talking to Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) for their release to us”, she indicated.

She added that the inadequacy of office accommodation was demonstrated by the receipt of numerous requests for office accommodation from the Directorate of Education, Health, Physical Planning and Urban Roads, NADMO, Environmental Health, Business Advisory Centre, Youth Employment Agency and NABCO among others.

She noted that the Assembly staff strength was 186 comprising of 121 Government of Ghana payroll staff and 65 Internally Generated Fund staff, adding her outfit also have 32 Commission Revenue Collectors.

Touching on revenue mobilization and the financial performance of TWMA, the MCE said a total amount of GH¢1,735,402.09 was mobilized by the new Assembly from May to September this year.

The amount accrued from basic rates, property rates, building permits, open space rentals, market tolls, lorry parks, sanitation permit, toilet fees, among others. An amount of GH¢770,693.43 was also received from the District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat for the first and second quarter of 2018.

Mrs Amoako announced that her outfit would continue to pursue investment in human capital, social service delivery, environment and sanitation as well as agriculture and other government prioritized programmes.

She said the total projected IGF for 2019 stood at GH¢13, 969,409.76 and while its estimated total grant would be GH¢26,187,465.31. She gave an elaborate report on other sectors of the Municipality including security, Development Plan, Psysical Planning and Development Control, Developmental projects, sanitation and waste management, road improvement, among others.

During an open forum, traditional leaders from the Nungua Traditional Council and Tema Traditional Council advised the Assembly to fully consult them on issues and not to create misunderstanding between the two areas that fall within the Municipality.