The Mayor of Accra, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije has won the inaugural edition of the prestigious President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos African Mayor Awards.
The award was held in Luanda, Angola as part of the 2nd Africa Urban Infrastructure Investment Forum.
The event, which took place on Thursday April 30, 2015 at the Talatona Convention Centre (CCTA), saw Accra emerge as the winner in the Large Cities category with contenders including Cape Town in South Africa and Dakar in Senegal.
The award includes a trophy designed by a distinguished Angolan artist, a certificate and a cash prize of 200,000 dollars.
Receiving the award, the Mayor expressed his appreciation to the late President John Evans Atta Mills, the current President of Ghana John Mahama and chiefs of Accra for giving him the opportunity to serve the good people of Accra:
“This award will be an inspiration to move the city of Accra and indeed Ghana forever forward, contributing to the development of Africa.”
He added that the leadership and staff of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (A.M.A) are committed towards contributing to the ‘Better Ghana’ agenda.
Winning the award, he said, is a signature of excellence which must remind people of Accra that they are doing well but must work harder in order to make Accra a place all will love.
He urged Ghanaians to love and support one another and stop pulling each other down because Ghana is a great country and with wonderful citizens.
Accra was selected in the category of Large Cities whilst Asunafo North also from Ghana competed in the Medium Size category but lost to Kinodoni in Tanzania. The last category – Small Cities – was won by Praia in Cape Verde.
The African Mayor Awards programme recognizes, celebrates and rewards managers of cities who display exemplary qualities, leadership and vision.
Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije ended the shift school system in the Accra and started the construction of 110 millennium city schools, with eleven completed.
He has also started liquid waste treatment in East legon to serve the University of Ghana and its environs.
International recognition Accra has achieved under his leadership includes being selected as part of the 100 Resilient Cities by the Rockefeller Foundation; the Bloomberg Foundation Initiative for Road Safety, and the IBM Smart City Award.
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Credit: AMA