Government is to provide 14 billion cedis to the assemblies for assistance to 45,000 farmers throughout the country next month to boost food production.

This was announced by the Senior Minister, Mr Joseph Henry Mensah when he addressed a mammoth rally organised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Mantse Agbonaa in Accra to climax the 10th anniversary celebrations of the party. Last week, government released 117 billion cedis accruing from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative for distribution to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies for development.

The money lodged in the HIPC account at the Bank of Ghana was earmarked for infrastructure, basic education, primary health care and community water and sanitation projects. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly would receive 3.5 billion cedis, Kumasi, 2.5 billion cedis and Sekondi Takoradi, two billion cedis. Tema, New Juaben (Koforidua), Tamale and Cape Coast Municipal Assemblies would receive 1.5 billion cedis each while the 103 District Assemblies receive a billion cedis each.

Mr Mensah appealed to contractors to be involved in the development projects to ensure that funds released to them are well utilised for the projects. He told the members and supporters that organisation and campaigning by the party to win the 2004 elections has begun and urged them to gird their l oins for action to win more seats in the next Parliament.

On the political scene, the Senior Minister said while the other political parties are struggling to nominate their flag bearer, the NPP already has a candidate in the person of President Kufuor. He said the main opposition party, National Democratic Congress( NDC) is dying; "they are killing their own party, which would be dead by 2004”. Mr Mensah said government has information about NDC functionaries who allegedly stole state funds and would deal with them when they try to create confusion in the country to cover up their misdeeds.