Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has stated that the execution of projects under the Social Cohesion Projects (SOCO) will catapult infrastructural development in operational areas.

The project, which he symbolically cut-sod for in Yendi would execute 582 sub-projects in six regions under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project.

Vice President added that the project which is funded through a World Bank facility of $150 million secured by the Government was expected to deliver resilient community infrastructure and assets through a Community Driven Development approach (CDD).

He said the project was being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development (MLGDR) in 48 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS) across Northern, North East, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and Oti Regions.

The intervention, he said would contribute to the prevention of spread of conflict from the Sahel region, reduce vulnerability to climate change, strengthen local institutions, improve economic opportunities, build public trust and strengthen regional dialogue across the Gulf of Guinea countries.

He said eight MMDAs would benefit in the Northern Region, 15 in the Upper East Region, 11 in the Upper West Region, six in North East Region, and four in the Oti Regions.

He said peaceful communities will have projects like roads, schools and other infrastructures.

He indicated that 2023 was the phase one of the SOCO project, which would include training of women and the youth and create more jobs for the communities.

He commended the Minister for MLGRD Mr. Daniel Botwe (MP) for working tirelessly for the achievement of the SOCO project and cautioned the implementation agents that delay of the projects would not be tolerated.

In address read on his behalf Ya-Na Abukari II the Over Lord of Dagbon said the SOCO project would improve the livelihoods people if well implemented and entreated supervisors and consultants to be prudent and diligent.

Ya-Na Abukari II said the aim of the SOCO project was dear to their hearts since it would protect them from being drawn into conflicts raging them in the Sahel regions of West Africa and the climate change.

The Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu indicated that the SOCO project was to finance projects such as schools, market infrastructure roads amongst others to improve the lives of the communities.

He called on the chiefs to support the SOCO team on the implementation of the projects to become a household name.

Mr. Daniel Botwe Minister for MLGRD said last year in November 2022 Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the project in Upper East Region in Bolga.

He said the SOCO delivery projects were selected by the communities and to be owned by them.

He thanked Ya-Na for releasing land for the projects and assured him that the projects would be completed on schedule.

He asked the MMDCES to give update of the projects to the chiefs.

Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama MP for Yendi Constituency thanked the Government for Yendi town roads, Yendi to Tatale road and other projects under construction in the area.

He said SOCO projects when completed would give the Youth employment and thanked the MLGRD, for extending the projects to his constituency.