Hon. Benjamin Yaw Gyarko on Sunday, 4th June, 2023 welcomed a 13-member delegation from the City of Tuscaloosa in Alabama state, U.S.A.
The team included students, lecturers and City Council members.
In his welcoming speech, the MCE, Hon. Benjamin Yaw Gyarko gave a brief background to the visit by the team.
He said in August 2011, the Techiman Municipal Assembly and Sunyani Municipal Assembly signed a memorandum of understanding with Tuscaloosa city to promote culture, education and economic activities among the cities.
He expressed his excitement that the relationship has been sustained over the years.
He thanked them for donating fifteen (15) computers in 2018 to the Assembly which were subsequently presented to Alhamadiya M/A JHS and Kesse Basahyia S.H.S. for usage.
On her part, the leader of the delegation Dr. Elissa Keyes thanked the Assembly for the warm reception extended to them and reiterated that, the purpose of their visit was to deepen the partnership between the two cities for mutual benefits.
In the evening, a round table discussion was held to discuss to discuss some pertinent issues in the Municipality .
On Monday, 5th June, 2023, the MCE, Hon. Benjamin Yaw Gyarko led the team to pay a courtesy call on the Bono-East Regional Minister, Hon. Kwasi Adu-Gyan and the Techiman Traditional Council to officially introduce the delegation to them.
Hon. Kwasi Adu-Gyan welcomed them to the region and wished them a happy stay and assured them of a safe security in the region.
He urged them to intensify their student exchange programs especially at the Senior High Schools to promote education in the region.
Addressing the delegation, Nana Owusu Gyare II, Akwamuhene and the Acting President of Techiman Traditional Council welcomed them to the traditional area and proceeded to give the history of Techiman.
He called on them to consider investing in education, tourism, water and sanitation in the municipality.
The MCE, Hon.Benjamin Yaw Gyarko ceased the opportunity to clarify some misinformation surrounding *Ghana Secondary City Support Program and Tuscaloosa Sister City relationship to Nananom and the general public in presence of the delegation
He said, the Secondary City Support program is a loan facility that the Government of Ghana has sourced from the World Bank for Urban developments in Ghana
He said the program started in 2018 with twenty-five (25) municipalities in Ghana of which Techiman is part.
He said the phase I of the funding has been used to construct the ultra modern Nana Abena market at Dwomo Electoral Area while the phase II has been used to construct the Abanemu roads, DVLA Agyeiwaa road, Awerempem streets drainage systems and the drainage system at Nana Abena market.
He continued that, the 3rd phase projects of the funding shall commence this year.
Speaking on the Tuscaloosa City relationship with the Municipality, he said, the objective of the partnership is to promote culture, education through exchange programs and provision of logistics and economic activities between the cities.
He emphasised that, so far no single infrastructure has been put up in the Municipality which is funded by the Tuscaloosa City.
