Tamale, May 6, GNA - The Department of International Development (DFID) has extended technical assistance to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to enable it to achieve its goals. Even though SADA programmes have not started, DFID has been assisting in drafting its pro-poor policy to ensure that the needs of the ordinary person are well addressed.

Ms Sally Taylor, DFID Country Director to Ghana, said this when she addressed a press conference in Tamale on Thursday where she gave the assurance that the UK government would continue its development assistance to Ghana.

The press conference was attended by the Northern, Brong- Ahafo, Upper East and Upper West Regional ministers where the SADA was going to be implemented as well as some of the board members of SADA. She said the UK had confirmed that Ghana was among few countries that would receive more aid from the UK in the coming years, adding that the UK would increase its financial commitment to Ghana from 85 million pounds in 2010/11 to 100 million in 2014/15. She said the funds would be for the education and health sectors as well as working with small scale enterprises to increase innovation and competition that would promote development. Ms Taylor said the UK government, through the DFID, would help Ghana in creating 144,000 jobs by the year 2015, 608,000 Ghanaians using family planning, distribution of 4.75 million bed nets to help prevent malaria and a cash grant to 250,000 to poor and vulnerable people all by 2015.

Mr. Alhassan Andani, the Board Chairman of SADA, said the board since its inauguration in January had met twice, one in the Northern Region and the other in the Upper East Region to deliberate on major issues that will have to be done before the implementation of the SADA.

He said budgetary funds allocated to SADA would only be made available to it when employees especially Chief Executives were appointed since they were supposed to be the signatories to SADA accounts. Mr. Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister who spoke on behalf of the five regions, commended the DFID and SADA board for their enthusiasm in getting things done in time. 06 May 11