Hon. Zuwera Mohammed lbrahimah Commends Minority Chief Whip’s Insightful Statement

The Member of Parliament for Salaga South, Hon. Zuwera Mohammed lbrahimah, has commended the Minority Chief Whip for his thoughtful comments on national development issues.

Addressing the floor of Parliament, Hon. Zuwera praised the Minority Chief Whip for what she described as a “brilliant and deeply reflective” statement. According to her, some of the points raised by her colleague have been on her mind for a long time, but she had never put them into writing. She noted that the statement was timely and urged Members of Parliament to take it seriously, saying that if they listen, it will be beneficial to all.

She further noted that her colleague made references to Singapore and other developed civilizations, and expressed delight that Hon. Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, was present in the chamber.

Hon. Zuwera Mohammed lbrahimah shared her recent experience in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she attended a program at the African Union headquarters. She recounted that discussions during the trip focused on urban development, highlighting the remarkable transformation of Addis Ababa over the past five years.

According to her, “The city is being consciously built, with three- to four-lane roads, proper walkways for pedestrians, and green spaces. Even couples walk freely holding hands—Ethiopians are truly walking in their own city.”

She lamented that in Ghana, pedestrian walkways are either nonexistent or occupied by street hawkers. “If you attempt to walk from Afrikiko to 37, even in front of the Presidency, a car could knock you down because there are no pavements,” she said. “Everything seems to be about vehicles. Ghanaians need space.”

She also observed that while other countries plant trees in road medians to provide shade and beautify the environment, in Ghana such spaces are filled with concrete and pavement stones, which are later taken over by traders selling slippers, toothpaste, and other items

Hon. Zuwera further criticized the practice of cutting down trees without regulation. She questioned the role of the Forestry Commission and Environmental Protection Agency, noting that in countries like the UK, no one can fell a tree without a permit from the local council, and even then, a fee must be paid after a proper assessment. “We must begin to review our laws—did we make them for ourselves or to make our society better?” she questioned.

She also drew lessons from her visit to Kigali, Rwanda, where the Ministry of Local Government oversees national development. According to her, all ministries in Rwanda align their programs and budgets with the needs of local communities before submitting them to the Ministry of Finance.

“In Ghana, I doubt that the local government minister is even consulted when development programs and activities are planned in the districts,” she lamented.

Hon. Zuwera Mohammed lbrahimah concluded by expressing her heartfelt gratitude to the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, for sparking such an important conversation. She urged Parliament to move beyond talk and take practical action to address Ghana’s urban planning and environmental challenges.