Residents of the Sarpeiman Electoral Area on Sunday, July 5, 2026, had the opportunity to engage directly with their leaders during a Community Engagement Programme organised by the Office of the Sarpeiman Electoral Area Assembly Member in collaboration with the Unit Committee Members.

The programme, held under the theme "Building a Better Electoral Area," brought together the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Amasaman Constituency, Hon. Sedem Afenyo; the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Ga West Municipal Assembly, Hon. John Desmond Sowah Nai; traditional leaders, community members and other stakeholders to discuss pressing development issues affecting the area.

The engagement aimed to strengthen communication between residents and their elected representatives while providing a platform to address challenges and outline practical interventions to improve living conditions within the electoral area.

During the welcome address, the Assembly Member for the Sarpeiman Electoral Area, Hon. Dr. Elorm Avemegah, stated that the meeting was organised to enable residents to interact directly with the Municipal Chief Executive and the Member of Parliament on issues affecting the community and to collectively identify practical solutions for the area's development.

Hon. Dr. Avemegah also presented an account of key interventions undertaken by his office in collaboration with the Unit Committee Members over the past three years. He highlighted initiatives such as community waste management exercises, a health screening programme at Alafia, support for an armed robbery victim through donations, and the provision of electricity transformers for the Ablorman and Alabaster communities following a three-week power outage.

He further noted that plastic chairs and benches have been donated to the weighing centre at Kobikorpe, while roads at Greater Hope, Opah Martey Area, Borla Junction, Toman and the stretch from Abgom to Kobikorpe have been gravelled, levelled and reshaped to improve accessibility. Additional interventions included support for victims of a fire outbreak at Opah Forest, refuse evacuation at Faase, advocacy for the installation of electricity cables on service poles at New Canada, and lobbying for the dredging of the Shikpontele–Faase drainage channel to mitigate flooding.

Addressing the gathering, the Member of Parliament for the Amasaman Constituency, Hon. Sedem Afenyo, commended the Assembly Member and the Unit Committee Members for organising the programme. He described it as his first official engagement with residents of the Sarpeiman Electoral Area and reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with them to accelerate development.

Responding to concerns over the long-awaited Sarpeiman footbridge, Hon. Afenyo explained that the project was not included in the original road construction contract awarded by the previous government. He, however, disclosed that following engagements with the President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, approval have been secured for the construction of the footbridge. He assured residents that the project would be captured in the mid-year budget, after which the necessary procurement processes would commence.

The MP also addressed concerns regarding the utilisation of the District Assemblies Common Fund, explaining that the fund is governed by strict guidelines that determine how it can be used. He stressed that while the fund supports several development projects, it is insufficient to address every challenge facing communities and should therefore not be regarded as the sole solution to local development needs.

He further advised residents to channel concerns relating to power outages, sanitation and other local governance issues through their Assembly Member before escalating them to his office, emphasising that Assembly Members remain the first point of contact for community-related matters.

The Municipal Chief Executive for the Ga West Municipal Assembly, Hon. John Desmond Sowah Nai, also outlined several development projects being undertaken across the municipality. He disclosed that the Assembly had procured seven pickup vehicles to strengthen monitoring activities, particularly in flood-prone communities. He added that a six-unit classroom block have been completed for the people of Kotoku and Manhia, while another classroom block is currently under construction in Sarpeiman.

Touching on security concerns, the MCE revealed that efforts are underway to establish a police station in Sarpeiman to improve law enforcement and enhance public safety. He also reiterated the MP's assurance regarding the construction of the Sarpeiman footbridge and appealed to residents to remain patient, noting that although the Assembly remained committed to addressing developmental challenges, the vast size of the Ga West Municipality required projects to be implemented progressively.

During an interactive session, residents raised concerns about poor sanitation, inadequate drainage systems leading to flooding, insecurity, drug abuse, poor road networks and frequent power outages. The MP and the MCE responded to the concerns and encouraged residents to report challenges promptly to the appropriate institutions instead of waiting for community engagement meetings.

The programme ended on a high note when Hon. Sedem Afenyo donated ten streetlights to the Sarpeiman community to improve visibility on major streets and help address growing security concerns. The donation was warmly received by residents, who expressed their appreciation for the gesture.

The engagement reaffirmed the Ga West Municipal Assembly's commitment to participatory local governance by providing residents with a platform to engage directly with their leaders, promote accountability and strengthen collaboration towards the sustainable development of the Sarpeiman Electoral Area.

Source: Kenneth Ngenyan Gmalu, ISD-GWMA