Zongo development fund account ready in two weeks – Minister

The Minister for Inner Cities and Zongo Development, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, has revealed that the account for the much touted Zongo Development fund will be ready in two weeks to make way for the development of Zongo communities across the country.

According to him, all impediments have been cleared for the government’s promise to Zongo communities to be implemented in the coming weeks.

“For the past 18 months, we’ve been putting the Ministry together. We have been doing consultations and bill creation. We got our Bill passed into an Act on January 1,2018. The Zongo Development Fund Secretariat has been established. The board was inaugurated about a month ago. Before the Secretariat was put in place, the Ministry was working. We have the rehabilitation of schools ongoing. Some schools in Salaga, Yendi among others are been rehabilitated as we speak. Some drains are being worked on. Per the appropriation we were given GHC100M for the whole year. GHC17M is to be released to us in the first quarter. In principle, the cash has been released,” the Minister told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday.

He stressed: “For every project we embark on, we create not less than 3000 jobs. Within 2 weeks, the Zongo Development Fund Account should be created after the necessary establishments are done”.

The former Member of Parliament also dismissed claims that the ministry’s decision to construct Astro turfs at Zongos is a misplaced priority.

“Within 2 weeks, the Zongo Development Fund Account should be created after the necessary establishments are done. stro Turf is not a misplaced priority because the Best Three African Footballers Ibrahim Sande, Golden Boy Razak, Abedi Pele are from the Zongo communities”.

Under the Development Fund, the Zongo communities will have dilapidated schools rehabilitated, with scholarship packages for students.