Veep affirms gov't determination to eradicate poverty

Funsi (UWR), July 7, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Friday observed that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has identified poverty as the greatest enemy to the socio-economic progress of the country and is determined to uproot it.

He said the focus of the NPP was now on the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, where poverty was endemic. Vice President Mahama made the observation when he addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of Funsi in the Wa East District of the Upper West Region, as part of his five-day official visit to the Region. His address centred on a number of requests made by the Kundungu Kuoru Bakuli Bakubie, the traditional authority for the area, which comprised the lack of potable water, electricity, a senior secondary school, link and feeder roads to the district capital and food producing areas.

Vice President Mahama assured the chiefs and people that the district, which was calved from the Wa Municipality by President Kufuor's administration, would get the full complement of projects that went with its present status. These, he said, included the provision of a model senior secondary school (sss) a health facility and a district office of the Ghana Fire Service.

Vice President Mahama said an effort to start a senior secondary school was on the drawing board. There was also tender to provide seven schools blocks for basic schools that take their lessons under trees. He said the development needs of the District would not come overnight, but explained that the area would attract more capital injection such as the district assemblies common fund to facilitate more development projects.

Vice President Mahama asked the people to embrace government policies such as the Schools Feeding Programme, the Capitation Grant and the National Youth Employment Scheme to reverse the cycle of poverty in their communities. "No government can put money into people's pockets, it is not sustainable", he said. Kundungu Kuoru Bakubie lauded the government for the great strides it had made to promote good governance, education and the decentralization process.

"We are grateful to the government for bringing the administration of the district to our doorsteps", he said. Backing his request for potable water, he said the lack of good drinking water had affected productivity and led to the spread of water borne diseases such as guinea worm, diarrhoea and dysentery. Kundungu Kuoru Bakubie noted that before the creation of the district, Funsi was earmarked for the phase one of the small-town water system, but due to counterpart funding, it was pushed to the second phase, which starts July this year. He said the lack of electricity was also counter-productive for the district since personnel posted to the area were forced to operate from Wa.

"Your Excellency, this is a serious challenge facing the infant district, which needs an immediate attention. Vice President Mahama later inaugurated a 344 million (34, 400, 000 Ghana Cedis) Funsi Police Junior Quarters and inspected work on a 980 million cedi (98 million Ghana Cedi accommodation facility for personnel of the service being sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency and the District Wide Assistance Project. As part of his visit, Vice President Mahama would attend the Speech and Prize giving Day at the Kanton Secondary School in Tumu, inaugurate Gwollu Police Station, Lambussie Police Station and Area Council and inspect the Piina Forestation Project. 07 July 07