Accra, May 6, GNA - The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), has committed $401.94 million in various contracts as at the end of April 2010, Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, the Chief Executive Officer of MiDA said on Thursday.

Speaking at the Meet-the-Press-Series on Thursday, Mr Eson-Benjamin said the five-year programme was on course and the expectation was that the Programme budget would be fully utilized within the period.

"MiDA's only prayer is that all contractors, who have been engaged on the projects, will work diligently to meet their contractual obligations," he said.

Mr Eson-Benjamin also asked all project affected persons to move off the road corridors to allow work to progress without any hindrance.

So far, MiDA had negotiated and compensated over 7,000 project-affected persons, he said. The goal of the 547 million Compact programme, signed three years ago= , is to reduce poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth= .. The programme, which is currently being run in 30 districts and municipal assemblies in three intervention zones, aims to raise farmer incomes through a private sector-led development and transformation of agribusiness. It will enhance the production and productivity of high-value cash an= d food staple crops and enhance the competitiveness of Ghana's agricultural=

products in regional and global markets.

Mr Eson-Benjamin said the initial procurement challenges that slowed project activities had all been resolved adding, however that government would need to provide some funding to support additional investments unde= r the utilities relocation and resettlement of project-affected persons. Programmes under the compact consists of three projects namely agriculture, transportation and rural services. Under the agricultural projects, the Chief Executive Officer said ove= r 1,200 Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs) were covered. Besides, the Commercial Development of Farmer-Based Organisation programme, MiDA is also assisting poor rural farmers to confidently participate in local and international markets through an investment wort= h $214 million.

The aim is to diversify, intensify or expand agricultural practices a= nd outputs and improve the quality of the produce, among other things. On land cases, Mr Eson-Benjamin said MiDA was currently working with the Judicial Service and had already funded and completed a review of the backlog of land cases pending in courts all over the country. "We are standing by with funds to provide essential Information Technology infrastructure to assist in the complete rehabilitation and modernization of ten circuit courts," he said.

Mr Eson-Benjamin added that the selected courts would handle and cle= ar the backlog and any new land cases. On agricultural credit, he said over GH¢26.3 million had been disb= ursed to over 9,600 individual farmers as seasonal and working capital loans as=

well as for the purchase of capital items.