KMA To Produce Digitised Maps Of Kumasi

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has engaged two local companies with expertise in surveying and mapping to keep track of properties in the metropolis. The two institutions will be aided with a special aerial camera device that will be mounted in an aircraft that will hover above the city. The companies, CTK and UCL Ghana Limited, have successfully completed a pilot in two sub- metropolitan areas, namely, Asokwa and Nhyiaeso, where over 10,000 properties were captured. The companies are expected to capture over 130,000 properties by next year. The essence of the exercise is to build a strong digital data base of all properties in the city in order to enhance revenue mobilisation and for effective planning. The KMA currently does not have an up-to-date database of properties in the entire city. The aircraft, fitted with the sophisticated cameras will take photographs of all properties in the metropolis after which they will be scrutinised by experts and identified. Stakeholders involved in the project are working hand in hand with the Town and Country Planning and the Lands Valuation Board in their bid to come up with digitised maps. The project, which is the first of its kind in the country, would in the end-augment the assembly�s street-naming exercise which is currently ongoing. At the official launch of the project, The Chief Executive Officer of the KMA, Mr Kojo Bonsu, said the assembly was doing all it could to improve revenue collection in a responsible manner. He urged residents in the metropolis to cooperate with agents working on the project in order to ensure that it was successfully executed. Mr Bonsu said he was hopeful that the assembly will continuously collaborate with the private sector in promoting the growth of the metropolis and the nation as a whole. The Director of UCL Ghana, Mr Sam Duodu, assured the KMA of an early completion of the project.