Regional News of Thursday, 6 September 2007
Source: GNA
Bolgatanga, Sept. 6, GNA- The District Capacity Building Project (DISCAP) being implemented by the Canadian Government in the three Northern Regions, made up of Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions, has resulted in the improvement of the quality of water for the people.
In the past, the three Northern Regions had been noted for the peculiar problem of Guinea worm, which affected economic growth and productivity, but with the introduction of DISCAP in Ghana the incidence had now subsided.
Mr. Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, who made these comments to GNA at Bolgatanga, said DISCAP had trained many people on how to prepare and submit their reports in time for execution. He said DISCAP was one of the first projects in the Region to involve local people at the community levels in the selection and implementation of their developmental needs. Mr. Samari also noted that the DISCAP had supported capacity building initiatives in institutions including Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), the polytechnics and nursing institutions in the country.
This, he said, had accelerated the development of the human resource base of the country and the decentralisation process of the Government "What is dear to my heart and more beneficial to the Northern Sector of the country was the annual mobilisation by DISCAP of all Northern politicians to meet at the Mole National Park in Damongo to brainstorm on issues pertaining to the development of the area." Mr. Christian Brown, team leader of DISCAP, said it was important to build the capacity of the people to empower them to take active part in the development of their communities.