Electricity project for Okumaning inaugurated

Okumaning(E/R), FEB 1, GNA - A 1.2 billion-cedi electricity project was inaugurated at Okumaning near Kade in the Kwaebibirem District of the Eastern Region on Friday by the Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah.
The project was financed by the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC), which is developing a huge plantation in the Okumaning area. Mr. Joseph C. E. Inkumsah, Managing Director of GOPDC said the Company with the support of the communities in which they operate and the government would provide social and infrastructure facilities such as roads, bridges and culverts, markets, school buildings, water and electricity.
This was because the company appreciate the importance of developing people in the communities where they operate because such people would be expected to provide the human resources for the project.
Mr Inkumsah explained that developing the people to GOPDC means, provision of good education, good health, economic empowerment and a conducive social environment.
The Managing Director said the company would plant 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) as small-holder plots for the farmers who might have lost their farm lands as a result of the project and also encourage them to participate in the out-growers scheme around the project that would be developed.
The Government, through the divestiture of State projects, officially handed over the 12,540 acres of farmlands acquired in 1976 for oil palm development to the GPODC in 1999.
Mr Inkumsah said the company planted 627 hectares (1550 acres) in 2002 and 518 hectares (1280) in 2003.
He said to date, with the direct involvement of GOPDC, a total of 3.1 billion cedis had been paid as crop compensation to all the communities, leaving compensation due to the Dwenase community which would be paid in due course.
The Managing Director lauded the President's Initiative on oil Palm and urged the people to take it seriously. "We at GOPDC are excited that the president had identified a programme that GOPDC is already involved in and we, shall go to any where expected of us to make the President's initiative a very big success", he stated.
Dr Osafo-Mensah called for co-operation between communities in which GOPDC was operating and the company since they stood to benefit immensely.
The Chief of Okumaning, Barima Adu Gyamfi the Third, expressed his prople's appciation to the company for the project. Barima Amoah-Kuko Ntriakwa II, Akwatia-Dwenasehene, who chaired the function hoped the people of Okumaning would patronize the project to make maximum use of it to enhance cottage industries.