Tema Metro to get new community library

Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), in partnership with a developer, has begun work on a modern community library for the metropolis scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

Currently, the Tema Metropolis has no public library as the existing one near Tema Senior High School now belong to the Tema West Municipality, which was carved out of the TMA.

The new library, which construction commenced in January 2021, is located on part of the land being developed into the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park at Tema Community one.

The GNA-Tema Regional Office has embarked on a project dubbed, “tracking of development projects” in Districts as part of efforts to enhance accountability and deepen grassroots participation in local government.

The project seeks to improve policy management and decision-making system in the districts.

As part of the tracking of development projects, the GNA visited Nkrumah Park which was an initiative of the Assembly under the administration of Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware in 2012.

The project was to acknowledge Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah for his vision to build Tema as the first well-planned city in West Africa.

The Tema Nkrumah Park is designed to serve as a recreational centre and tourist site with aesthetic landscaping.

It, however, came to a halt for some years, leading to complaints from residents.

Mr Frank Asante, Public Relations Officer of TMA, told the Ghana News Agency at Tema that the project was part of measures by the Assembly to provide children in the Metropolis with quality education and learning materials.

Mr Asante said its siting on the Nkrumah Park was to make it accessible to students as some schools were located around that enclave.

He said the library was strategically positioned to preserve a large portion of the land for the park.

“Plants are necessary for an industrial city like Tema, hence, the construction of the library would not be a reason to dissipate the existence of the memorial park.”

He said to ensure safety and easy crossing of the roads around the park, pedestrian crossing with traffic warden would be provided to guide children who visited the library.

He commended the management of the TDC Company Limited for allocating the site for the project and the developer for the infrastructure to support schools in the area.

The site currently has the golden statue of Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah erected while other effigies depicting the Ghanaian cultural values are planted around the former President.

The place is covered under African green trees, providing natural shade for visitors.