Kumasi, Sept. 26, GNA - Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), has charged staff, consultants and contractors under MiDA's programmes to uphold disciplines such as integrity and contract timelines. He said they should shun mediocrity in their work to help to improve the living conditions of the poor and deprived rural farmers, who mattered most in MiDA's activities.

"With less than two years on our programmes' calendar, and deep into project implementation, our mission will only be truly accomplished if we can get ourselves fully involved in the supervision of the programme at all levels", he said. Mr Eson-Benjamin was delivering a paper on the topic: "The MCA- Ghana Programme, a New Model for Development", at a public lecture organised by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

The CEO noted that the Programme, which came into force in 2007 and being sponsored by the United States of America, had the ultimate goal of reducing poverty, especially among rural folks to an appreciable level through agricultural transformation and economic growth. It is also designed to promote democratic governance while investing in the people through various intervention programmes to encourage economic freedom.

Mr Eson-Benjamin said a total of 214 million dollars had been voted under the Agricultural Projects of the Programme to ensure increased irrigation development, land tenure facilitation, improved post-harvesting activities and value chain services. Other targets include increased farmer and enterprise training in commercial agriculture as well as improved access to credit on farm and value chain services.

On rural development, the CEO said the Programme had achieved some significant successes with support for community services including water and sanitation, education and vocational facilities. He announced that a total of 213 million dollars had also been injected into improving transportation under the programme for improved access to international air and sea ports with trunk road network and ferry services.