EU commissions Project in Upper East Region

Navrongo (U.E/R), Aug 14, GNA - The European Union on Friday commissioned six projects under its sixth Micro-Projects Programme in the Upper East Region.

The projects are a Day Care Centre, two three Unit classroom blocks in Navrongo and three other projects at Yemonsa in the Builsa District all at a total cost of GHC317,611.53.

Mrs Lucy Awuni, Deputy Regional Minister, who accompanied a team of personnel from the European Commission to inspect and commission the projects, noted that the facilities would provide good and conducive environment for teaching and learning for the beneficiary communities. She said Government alone could not under the present difficult financial situation carry out all the needed development projects on its own and interventions from donor agencies such as the European Union was greatly appreciated.

Mr Willemm Roodhard of the European Union, who commissioned the projects, said the government of Ghana needed to remain strongly committed to the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive decentralization policy, and the implementation of the National Decentralization Action Plan, He said a district development fund to pool funds of the government and its development partners would encourage the development of robust national procedures and increase the transparency and accountability of local government.

Mr Roodhard said the European Commission already supported the implementation of the National Decentralize Action Plan and could in the near future provide sustainable resources in the form of sector budget support.

He said that the objectives of those interventions would strengthen the government of Ghana, the role of the district assemblies and local institutions in the management and monitoring of service delivery, investment and maintenance of community water supplies, schools, clinics and feeder roads.

The Programme Manager, Mr Kwabena Darfoor disclosed that the projects were part of the 904 infrastructural projects constructed under the 6th Micro Projects programme countrywide during the period of July 2006 to June 2009.

He said 81 projects made up of 34 three unit classroom blocks, 16 day care centres, six teachers' quarters, 12 rural clinics and Community Health Plan Service (CHPS) compounds, three toilets, five culverts, feeding centre and one craft centre had been constructed in the Upper East Region.

Mr Darfoor noted that the programme was to empower the beneficiary communities to make their own decisions on their developmental needs. He appealed to the beneficiary communities to take care of the facilities and maintain them regularly.