ESRP disburses over 6.9 billion cedis

The Emergency Social Relief Programme (ESRP) has so far disbursed about 6.9 billion cedis through designated implementing institutions such as rural banks and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

About 103.8 million dollars would be disbursed under the fund that ends in 2004. The 6,981, 348,999 cedis covers credit to 2,610 fishmongers in 25 communities in four coastal regions engaged in the purchase, processing and marketing of fish and 493 small-scale poultry farmers, emergency food aid to the Northern and Upper East Regions as well as registration of unemployed people.

Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, told the GNA in Accra on Wednesday after he had answered a question in Parliament as to why the fund meant for Akwapim North District had still not been paid into the accounts of the District assembly.

Mr. Brandford D.K. Adu, NPP MP Okere asked the question on behalf of Mr. Agyare Koi-Larbi, NPP MP Akropong.

He said the ESRP had neither earmarked nor disbursed any funds directly to any District Assembly, however the Assemblies were informed about the fund through their Chief Executives in order that they might undertake supervisory monitory roles as required by the ESRP guidelines.

He explained that the programme to assist the small-scale poultry producers had three objectives: to reduce poverty among the group, increase the availability of table birds at Christmas and provide a learning experience for the delivery of poultry credit to improve poultry production among small-scale poultry farmers.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu said 2.5 billion cedis was disbursed out of the three billion cedis to 493 out of the target of 500 small-scale poultry farmers in eight regions.

The Upper East and Upper West applicants, however, complained about marketing and weather conditions, which they said were not favourable and so did not utilise the facility.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu said the ESRP would support the cultivation of cassava with one billion cedis in loans to communities in the project areas to cultivate cassava for processing into starch under the President's Special Initiative.

He said plans for reaching other beneficiaries included disbursing over 8.7 billion cedis towards activities for the early part of 2002. These would include 4.3 billion cedis assistance to 4,300 small-scale food marketers in all regions of the country, supporting fishing communities with approximately 3.592 billion cedis to acquire 269 outboard motors and fishing nets.

Road improvements leading to areas of food production to reduce the loss of farm produce in the Western Region would be undertaken while the ESRP would soon improve sanitation conditions in some urban and peri-urban environments including Nima.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu said the ESRP would eventually reach all the 110 districts but in the coming year it would tackle 45 districts in tandem with the Common Poverty Reduction Programme.

He said during 2002 the ESRP would support a large number of poor farmers in priority regions and districts with farm production, processing and marketing credit.

It would deepen assistance to marginal communities, support a number of agro-processing micro enterprises with production credit, rehabilitate street hawkers and female porters and provide essential social infrastructure of schools, clinics and training facilities in deprived communities.