Die first if you want street named after you – Local government ministry

Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs) have been asked to adhere strictly to guidelines attached to the street naming exercise and also ensure that the exercise is diligently executed on time to help harmonize with the digital addressing system.

According to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, per the guidelines for the street naming exercise, streets must not be named after the living whether the person is a Chief or a Politician  except under special approval by cabinet .

The Head of Geographic Information System (GIS) Unit of Town and Country Planning Department under the Local Government Ministry Chapman Owusu-Sekyere stressed  during a sensitisation program on street naming and national digital property and address system “The use of names of living persons including politicians and chiefs should be avoided if you want a street to be named after you, the best thing is to die , so if you are still living then you don’t qualify .But if you read the manual it states that there as certain special cases and must be approved by cabinet” .

Also, street names must not create controversy, neither should it be offensive, or  difficult to pronounce.

“The manual also says even if you are a professor,  the professor shouldn’t be on the signage ,but when you go to Accra high streets you have Professor Atta Mills Street ,it goes against the manual that have been approved, don’t use the titles “.

The Street addressing system introduced by the previous government hit a snag due to financial and technical challenges but the incumbent government is determined to complete the exercise throughout the country and harmonize the street naming system with the digital addressing system to help achieve nationwide use of spatial data information for good governance and social Development Economic Development.

The Deputy Minister for Local government and Rural Development, Nana Adjei Boateng stated the government is committed to ensuring proper mapping of cities and towns  through digitization of properties and parcels of land across the country for easy navigation and relevant spatial data for effective  service delivery, revenue mobilization ,improve security and development.

Metropolitan,Municipal and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs) have been asked to adhere strictly to guidelines attached to the street naming exercise and also ensure that the exercise is diligently executed on time to help  harmonize with the digital addressing system.

Source: Starrfmonline.com