ADMINISTRATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

Institutional and Administrative Structure of AMA

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly like any other District Assembly is a corporate body and the highest political and administrative arm of the Government at the local level. The full membership of the Assembly is 104; of this, 70% are elected and 30% are government appointees. The chart below shows the Institutional and Administrative Structure of AMA.

The Assembly through the Local Government Act 1993 462 (Section 10 Subsections 1,2,3,4 and 5) carries out the legislative, deliberative and executive functions of Government. The functions of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly are outlined in the Legislative Instrument  (L.I. 1500) which established the AMA.  These functions are summarized as follows:

Functions of AMA

• Provision of a sound sanitary and healthy environment;
• Provision of educational infrastructure for first  and second cycle  schools;
•  Provision of markets and lorry parks within  the Metropolis;
• The planning and development control of all infrastructure within Accra;
• Activities bordering on the maintenance of peace and security within the Metropolis;
• Provision of public safety and comfort;

To assist the Assembly in performing its functions effectively and efficiently, the Assembly is supported by a number of functional Departments. These are:

General Administration

The Administration Department of A.M.A. is the co-ordinating centre of all A.M.A.’s Departments. It incorporates the Office of the Metropolitan Chief Executive. 

1. Functions of the Central Administration Department include the following:Assists the Metro Coordinating Director to Coordinate the activities of the Assembly’s Departments and to implement the Assembly’s decisions and Government policies at large.
2. Provides secretarial services to the Metro Chief Executive.
3. Organises meetings of the General Assembly, Metro Authority, Committees and Sub-Committees.
4. Keeps records of all correspondence of the Assembly
5. Registers both Ordinance and Customary Marriages.
6. Manages the Assembly’s fleet of vehicles, plants and equipment.   
7. Co-ordinates employees development (Training) Programmes and activities.
8. Offers unconditional customer care services to the Assembly’s general Rate Paying public and residents of the Metropolis as well as other persons who may call for assistance.  

Existing Structure

In order to function effectively the Administration has the following Units under it: 

•   Office of the Chief Executive 
•   Metro. Co-ordinating Director’s Secretariat
•   Secretariat of the Head of Administration
•   Client Services Unit.
•   Personnel Unit
•   Transport Unit
•   Records Management Unit
•   Marriage Registry

Treasury Department

The Finance Department is one of the sixteen departments established under Act 462 first schedule (ii) for the Metropolitan Assemblies.  The Department was one of the earliest departments to be decentralized under the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

Functions

1. The Finance Department is charged with the following: It is responsible for the collection of revenue
2. It takes custody of all monies
3. Processes and pays expenses incurred by the Assembly
4. Records revenue and expenditure into their respective     books
5. Submits monthly and annual financial statement to Management
6.  Processes AMA payroll
7.  Advises on financial matters
8.  Researches into changing trends of the market
9. Collection of permit fees from taxis, trotros and other commercial vehicles.
10. Co-ordinates for effective revenue collection from the markets.

Existing Structure

The Finance Department is composed of the following units;

•     Prosecution
•     Accounting Unit
•     Collection
•     Monitoring Unit
•     Research Unit
•     Rating Unit
•     Markets
•     Traffic and Parking
•     Bill Boards
•     Vehicle Permit
•     Stores

Metropolitan Education Department
                                  
The administrative organs of this office consist of a central office and seven Sub-Metropolitan Offices and are headed by the Director of Education.

Due to the large size of the Metropolis and the number of schools involved, it has not been easy to work with the stipulated number of office staff i.e. 61. Apart from the 7 Sub-Metropolitan Offices, there are 33 Circuits each being managed by a Supervisor who promotes effective supervision of schools in the circuit.

Functions

The Metropolitan Director of Education with the help of the Educational Units and staff is to ensure effective teaching and learning in public and private schools. Others are to:

• Supervise private and public schools.
• Ensure adherence to regulations and educational policies.
• Provide infrastructure and necessary logistics

Metropolitan Public Health Department

The Department of Public Health of the AMA was set up to promote and safeguard public health.  It is involved in assessing, correcting and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect adversely the health of present and future generations.  These environmental factors may be physical, biological, social or psychosocial.  The Department thus represents the watching of all the services required to promote an environment that will allow residents to thrive well physically, mentally and socially

Existing Structure

The Department is headed by a Chief Environmental Health Officer who is assisted by a Senior Environmental Technologist in the administration of his duties. 

The remaining responsibilities of the Department, classified as special duties, are headed as follows:

• Environmental and Health Promotion Unit
• Food, Water, Drugs Safety and Hygiene Unit
• Environmental Protection and Management Unit

Other supporting staff include personnel for Accounts, Administration, Stores, Day Care Centres, and Artisans / Labourers.

The delivery of Health Services at the Sub-Metro level is under the supervision of a Sub-Metro Environmental Health Officer. 

Functions

The functions and the responsibilities can be summarized as follows:

• Food Hygiene and Market Sanitation
• Disease, Vector and Pest Control
• Environmental Health Education
• Premises Inspection for control of environmental health hazards
• Enforcement of Sanitation Bye-Laws of the Assembly
• Control of Cemeteries
• Health safety of keeping of animals
• Building Sanitation

Waste Management Department

The Waste Management Department is responsible for keeping the Metropolis environmentally healthy and sound.

Existing Structure

1. At Head Office level, the department has established the following branches/units for the achievement of its desired objectives.

1. Administration Branch
2. Operations and Services Branch
3. Engineering Service Branch
4. Workshop Branch
5. Accounts Branch
6. Monitoring Unit
7. Public Relations Unit

The department has been decentralized to the six (6) Sub-Metropolitan District Councils at Ashiedu Keteke, Ablekuma, Okaikoi, Osu Klottey, Kpeshie and Ayawaso.  These offices are headed by a District Cleansing Officer (DCO) and supported by Cleansing Guards.  Efforts are being made to beef up these slim structures, which are serving as the nuclei for the future.

Functions

• Liquid and solid waste disposal.
• Cleansing of streets and drains, public open places, and weeding of grass on roadsides and open public places.
• The Department supervises and monitors the activities of private contractors engaged by the Assembly in solid and liquid waste management.
• Engaged in the education of the public on waste management and the provision of sanitation facilities in homes

Department of Food & Agriculture

In line with the Government’s policy on decentralization, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was restructured by decentralizing extension activities to the district level to facilitate grassroots participation in the implementation of agricultural policies and programmes.

The decentralization programme took effect from the 15th of October, 1997 with the merger of the following departments – Veterinary Services Department, Crops Department, Extension, Fisheries, Animal Production, Plant Protection and Regulatory Services & Agricultural Engineering all coming under one umbrella as District Agricultural Development Unit (DADU).

Existing Structure

The Department of Food and Agriculture is directly under the Metropolitan Assembly, to be headed by the Metropolitan Director of Food and Agriculture.  The organisational structure of the unit is as follows:

Under the Metro Director, are four (4) District Development Officers who oversee and supervise the Agric Extension Officers.

Functions

• To promote and provide efficient technical services, technologies and measures that will diversify Food and Agricultural Production for domestic and export markets in an environmentally sustainable manner,
• Prepare annual Metropolitan Agricultural work programmes and budget for submission to the District Assembly with copy to the Regional Director of Agriculture.
• Manage and coordinate the day- to- day activities of the District Agricultural Development Unit (DADU) including the analysis of participation and adoption rates of appropriate technologies of farmers.
• Participation in Monthly training sessions with SMS and FLS and Bi-Monthly Technology Review meeting (BMTRM) with Research and SMS.
• Design, in collaboration with the Regional Director, and implement a staff development programme for all categories of staff in the Metropolis
• Liase with all partners, (e.g. Farmers, Research, SMS, NGOs, educational institutions etc.) on programmes related to the development of Agriculture in the Metropolis.
• Organise and participate in all meetings, conferences, workshops, etc. related to agriculture with a view to clarifying MOFA policies to all concerned.
• Monitor the performance of all Agricultural Developments in the Metropolis and their impact.
• Prepare and submit regularly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports to the Regional Director of Food and Agriculture and the Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director on the performance of agriculture in the Metropolis when requested and special situation reports.
• To undertake any other duties that may be assigned.

Town and Country  Planning Department

The Town and Country Planning Department is one of the decentralized departments and has been integrated into the Assembly.

Existing Structure

The activities of the Department are currently organized under seven sections namely:

• General Planning Administration:
• Development and Redevelopment Planning:
• Development Control:
• Land Surveying:
• Research:
• Public Education:

Functions

1. Collection, collating and analysis of data on the natural and human resources of the Metropolis, and the production of reports thereon.
2. Identification of resources and potentials for commercial, industrial, housing, transport and other development and designing appropriate programme of action to tap them.
3. Coordination of diverse types of uses and developments of land promoted by various departments and agencies of Government and private developers to facilitate the achievement of the highest possible means of health efficiency and order in the physical environment.
4. Preparation of Detailed Planning Schemes in conformity with the Metropolitan Structure Plan; provision of detailed design of sub-urban centres in the metropolis; and other areas.
5. The Department is also represented at all levels on many committees of the Metropolitan Assembly, such as Site and Service Committee, Works and Development Planning Sub- Committees of the Assembly amongst others as well as Departments at the National level.
6. The Department is also the Secretariat of the Accra Metropolitan Planning Committee

Metropolitan Works Department

The Accra Metropolitan Works Department is one of the Departments established under Act 462 (first schedule) for the Metropolitan Assemblies. 

Existing Structure

In order to carry out its functions, the Metropolitan Works Department has 4 units namely: Structures, Administration, Estate, Project and Research with the Metropolitan Works Engineer as the Head of Department

Functions

The Department performs its functions by relating with six (6) Sub-Metropolitan District Councils and other departments under the umbrella of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, especially Waste Management, Roads Department, Town and Country Planning, Education, Treasury and Legal Departments.

The Department is responsible for the development and maintenance of first cycle schools, markets sanitary structures management of Assembly’s landed properties, design and management of all building projects of the Assembly, premises/house numbering, development of street furniture and all structures on terminals (Lorry Parks).

The Department also renders other services to the general public such as building permit delivery, outdoor advertisement permit delivery, certification of true copy of approved building plans and identification and ownership of buildings.  Metropolitan Works Department also demolishes unauthorized developments as well as dangerous and ruinous buildings.

Internal Audit Unit

The fundamental objective of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly is to provide essential utility services in terms of sanitation and others to residents of the Metropolis. To achieve this goal, there is therefore the need for vigorous mobilisation of funds from various sources and to ensure judicious use of these funds to the benefit of the people 

Existing Structure

The unit is headed by the Metropolitan Internal Auditor with representative staff at each of Sub-Metros and Departments.

Functions

•  Revenue-Audit
• Pre-audit of Expenditure
• Verification of Assets and other items of the Assembly
• Cases of Investigation referred to the Department by the Management
• Personal audit to check physical existence of staff.
• Field verification to project sites to ensure physical existence of structures
• In-Service Training of Staff.
• Personnel audit to ensure that salaries are paid to deserving staff.

 Metropolitan Planning Co-Ordinating Unit

The new Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462) Section 46(3) established for each Assembly a District Planning Co-ordinating Unit (DPCU).  The DPCU or the Metropolitan Planning Unit (MPCU) is to serve as a Secretariat to the Metropolitan Planning Authority and to advise on planning, programming, monitoring, evaluation and co-ordination of development plans, policies, programmes and projects within the Metropolis.

Existing Structure

The Unit is currently staffed by:

•  The Head of Planning
•  Nine Planning Officers
•  One Secretary
•  One Clerk

Functions and Responsibilities

The functions of the MPCU are as follows:

1. Collection and analysis of economic, social, physical and institutional data.
2. Preliminary rationalization and harmonization of development policies.
3. Implementation of strategies and programmes and the preparation of projects documentation.
4. Identification of bankable projects, assessment of the economic viability as well as the provision of technical advice for their implementation.
5. Co-ordination of activities for the implementation of development projects in the Metropolis.
6. Assist in the preparation of a comprehensive, integrated, perspective plans (medium - term plans, annual action plans) the development budget, and the identification of subject areas for technical details of the plan targets.
7. Monitoring and evaluating of the implementation process of projects.
8. Co-ordination of donor funded development activities  (UNDP, UNICEF and DFID).

Security Department

The Security Department is the newly created Department in A.M.A. Until 1995, the two major units of the Department viz Metropolitan Guards and Security Guards Units were administered by these two: the Legal and Administration Departments of AMA respectively.  It has the aim of integrating para-military units under one canopy.

Existing Structure

The Department is headed by the Acting Metropolitan Security Co-ordinator and assisted by his lieutenants.   The Department is currently made up of the following major units and personnel.

• Metropolitan Guards Unit
• Beautification Task Force
• Security Guards Unit
• Attached Military Personnel
• Attached Police Personnel
• An Assistant Director is attached to the unit as the Administrator.

Functions

Today, the role of the Metropolitan Guards has been re-defined as follows:

• The Guards act as the police of the Assembly to enforce all categories of AMA Bye-Laws.
• They direct traffic at certain points of the roads and at zebra crossings for the safety of school children, pedestrians and motorists.  They help control traffic at no traffic light points.
• They assist personnel of the Police Service to arrest suspects, carry out initial screening and investigations and prosecute offenders of AMA Bye-Laws in Court.

1. They assist AMA revenue mobilization as follows:Provide security protection to revenue collectors
2. Provide security for AMA Departments of Health Personnel.
3. They check abuses in indiscriminate building and siting of   tructures within the Metropolis- i.e. TASIT duties.
4. Verify the registration of all commercial vehicles.

External Audit Unit

Staff of the Audit Service assigned to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly mans the External Audit Unit.  It has an auditor responsibility for the Head Office, Departments/Units Sub-Metropolitan offices and Revenue Offices.

Existing Structure

The Unit is headed by An Assistant Director of Audit with the following. 26 other staff members assisting him in the discharge of his statutory functions:

• Assistant Director
• Principal Auditors                   
• Assistant Chief Examiner of Accounts       
• Senior Auditors                   
• Auditors                       
• Examiner of Accounts
• Audit Examiners                   
• Stenographers

Functions

The Unit’s functions and activities entail the examination of all Payment Vouchers under the Common Fund and other charges accounts of the Assembly, appraisal and review of Internal Controls, Payroll Audit, examination of all Revenue Receipts and Cash Books, Stock Registers, Stores Audit, Inventory Control, Validation of financial statements of the Assembly and Issuance of reports on all activities within the Assembly to Management and Parliament. The Unit also conducts periodic investigations as directed by the Auditor - General and Government

Metropolitan Road Department

Under Act 462, Schedule 1, Section 38, the Accra Metropolitan Roads Department was established as a department under the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. 

Existing Structure

• Periodic Maintenance – Gang
• Routine Maintenance – Gang
• Administration Section
• Quantity Surveying Section
• Drainage Unit
• Store Unit
• Transport section
• Accounts Section
• Security Section