Bolgatanga, April 17, GNA - Plans are far advanced by the government to end the annual delay in the release of school feeding grants to second cycle institutions, to enable them to reopen as scheduled to facilitate academic work. Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, announced this when the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), a civil society group, seeking the welfare of the marginalized, paid a courtesy call on him, in Bolgatanga on Thursday. He said because government placed premium on education, it had asked the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regional ministers to ensure that all students in those areas were in school whilst a permanent solution to the problem was being sought. Mr. Woyongo explained that the current delay in the release of the grant was nationwide.

He commended NORPRA for working to help the marginalised and said government would implement programmes including the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and establish a Sheanut Board for Northern Ghana to over see the production, processing and marketing of the produce to bridge the development gap between the Northern and Southern parts of Ghana.

Mr. Woyongo explained that SADA was an integrated programme, aimed at improving roads, health, education and agriculture among others in the north.

He said government would improve agriculture in particular by subsidizing fertilizers and other farming inputs. Mr. Woyongo urged NORPRA to support the Regional Coordinating Council in the discharge of its duties. Mr. Bismark Adongo, President of NORPRA, said the group was committed to fighting against social injustice and to ensure fair distribution of national resources.

He said the group would support efforts by government to bridge the development gap between the Northern and Southern parts of the country. Mr. Adongo blamed the British colonial government and subsequent post-independent governments for under development in the Northern part of Ghana. He said NORPRA was happy that the present government had decided to adopt policies and programmes to address the problem. 17 April 09