Ghana, Burkina discuss Oncho trans-border project.

Bolgatanga, Feb. 8, GNA- A day's workshop was held in Bolgatanga at the weekend between Ghana and Burkina Faso, to map out strategies for the socio-economic development of the oncho-cerciasis-freed zones of the two countries.
The project, which is an initiative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is a pilot one, which sought to rehabilitate victims of river blindness and communities within the catchment areas of the Volta River basin affected by the disease. The project would consider sustainable use of natural resources of both countries, infrastructure development geared towards promoting production and serious cross-border trade, institutional and human capacity building to ensure sustainability and the creation of enabling policies and planning frameworks to enhance livelihoods.
It is expected that the project facilitate cross-border frameworks as a measure to speedup the overall objective of the ECOWAS Regional Integration through liberalization of trade protocols.
In a closing address, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mahami Salifu, lauded the project and said the community participatory strategies adopted by the project is an acceptable modern methodology that was efficient.
Mr. Salifu said agriculture component of the project, which was expected to enhance food security at the expansion stage to include processing and storage, health delivery and sanitation and infrastructure development, especially at a time ECOWAS member states had agreed to promote trade.
The Minister said movements into the Onchocerciasis Freed Areas (OFAs) by the various agencies to reclaim the valley lands had produced new opportunities for increased agricultural production.
"However, you will agree with me that the risk of anarchic settlement and resource misuse could be real and must be avoided", he added.
Mr Salifu suggested that the implementation of a comprehensive programme for the sustainable development of the OFAs should include social and economic development activities "while at the same time employing strategies to protect the environment and address trans-human issues".
The Regional Minister said the OFAs was recognized by the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), as one area where accelerated agribusiness could thrive successfully.
He expressed the hope that donor agencies would help the project to succeed.
He suggested close and continuous consultations with other project partners in the Bawku West, Bawku East, Bongo and Bolgatanga Districts where the river blindness was prevalent.
The Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) folded up in the year 2000 and has shifted attention from disease control to socio-economic development of affected areas.
Ecowas took the challenge to integrate the sub-region by promoting rural development and cross border trade among member states but realized that the disease had affected about 11 countries in the Sub-Region, hence the initiation of the Oncho Transborder Project for the two countries, which were worst affected.