Ahafo Ano North Shares ?40m PAF to Farmers

The Ahafo-Ano North District Assembly in the Ashanti Region has disbursed ?40 million to a number of farming groups as Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF).

This was disclosed by the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Akwasi Adu-Poku, during the celebration of the district's Local Government Week at Betiako.

The DCE explained that the disbursement of the fund had been constrained by the difficulty involved in the retrieval of over ?90 million owed to the assembly by past beneficiaries of the PAF.

He urged applicants for the Emergency Social Relief Fund (ESRF) to exercise patience as measures are being streamlined by the government for the disbursement of the ESRF.

Adu-Poku deplored activities of chainsaw operators and warned that the assembly would from this time deal drastically with such operators.

He urged communities to team up with the assembly to nip activities of illegal chainsaw operators in the bud by reporting people involved in the act to the police.

The occasion, which also served as a sensitisation forum, was non-political and afforded people the opportunity to know much about government policies.

Reacting to a questioner who wanted to know what the government is doing by way of job creation, the DCE pointed out that those who have educational qualification are being considered for employment, saying "this explains why you have to send your children to school."

This explanation by the DCE did not, however, go down well with the audience since, according to them, the government did not promise to create jobs for only those with educational qualification.

Adu-Poku also advised communities to cultivate the habit of self-help.

He said the assembly is prepared to assist communities that initiate self-help projects.

On his part, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Hon. Kwame Owusu Frimpong, explained the recently passed National Reconciliation Bill to the people.

Frimpong advised the gathering to dissociate the up-coming June 23 District Assembly Elections from party politics.

He also urged the people to vote for competent people to become assembly members.

Touching on the economy, the MP said, "The HIPC initiative that the government opted for has been beneficial as the nation has had some of her debts cancelled."

The MP gave the assurance that the country will witness much development this year as, according to him, the government used its first year in office to settle and lay a solid foundation to keep the economy on track.