District Assembly holds session

Bole (N/R), Aug. 17, GNA - The Bole District Assembly has so far disbursed over 239 million cedis to 26 groups engaged in income-generating activities this year to improve on their living standards.

This was disclosed by the District Chief Executive, Mr Sam Akati Mahama when he addressed members of the assembly at their two-day ordinary sitting held in Bole last week.

The DCE said many other groups were being considered for the loan, and urged the previous beneficiary groups and individuals to repay the loan promptly for others to benefit from the scheme.

According to him, an amount of about 653 million cedis was received in February this year, as the first quarter allocation of the common fund, which was used to pay off outstanding contracts, sponsor needy students and others doing health related courses and people with disabilities and teacher trainees.

The assembly, Mr Mahama noted, had submitted a supplementary budget for almost 4.2 billion cedis for approval and release of funds by the Common Fund Administrator as its share of the four quarters of 2003. Mr Mahama explained that about 997 million cedis was allocated for the first quarter of 2003 out of which 226 million cedis was deducted at source for training NALAG dues, and 20 percent poverty alleviation. He said the assembly this year raised revenue of 148 million cedis as against the targeted 164 million cedis and urged the members to step up revenue mobilisation in the district.

Projects initiated under the European Union (EU) Projects to improve on living standards of the people included four, three-classroom blocks, valued at 144 million cedis for Wasepe, Konjugmah, Nsunua, and Dakurpe, a vault toilet also valued at 86.5 million cedis for Tuna, and a 44.7 million ten-seater KVIP at Bole Low Cost Residential Area.

Some other projects initiated also under the HIPC fund are, a 48 million- cedi borehole to be drilled at Tambamg, 40 million-cedi completed ten-seater KVIP at Chorbang, 160 million-cedi unit classroom block at Bole, Sawla, and Kabalima, 12 refuse containers valued at 21 million cedis and the construction of the 330 million-cedi health centre at Sawla.

Mr Mahama remarked that the assembly also rehabilitated a number of school blocks ripped off during rainstorm, at the cost of nearly 90 million cedis and also awarded on contract the drilling of 13 boreholes valued at 624 million cedis in various communities faced with acute water problem, and that it identified cashew processing, cassava production, and sheanut processing as viable industries to be supported by the government under the rural enterprise development programme.

Earlier in his speech, the Presiding Member, Alhaji Adam Zakaria, advised the members against seeking for personal gains, and partisan affiliations, which had polarised the assembly and prevented it in taking vital decisions to promote unity and rapid development of the district.