$1m per constituency to be disbursed this year - Minister

The Minister in charge of Special Development Initiatives, Madam Hawa Koomson, has informed Parliament that the projected $1 million for per constituency for the 275 constituencies will be disbursed this year.

She made the disclosure when she appeared before the House yesterday [Tuesday]. According to the minister, projects had already started in terms of the provision of water and toilet facilities in some constituencies under the One-constituency, $1-million policy.

"Let me take this opportunity to assure members of this House that the cedi equivalent of $1 million per constituency annually has been provided for in the 2018 budget… The money would be duly used to finance the needed basic socioeconomic infrastructure in the constituencies "to better the quality of life and improve the living conditions of the populace".

She was in Parliament to answer a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mion, Mr Mohammed Abdul-Aziz, on when the government would release the cedi equivalent of $1 million to each constituency, as captured in the 2017 budget statement.

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2016, promised to give each of the 275 constituencies a million dollar each for development projects.

This will be part of a proposed US$275 million allocation per year to tackle issues relating to infrastructural development and poverty alleviation in rural and deprived communities across the country.

Dr. Bawumia, the Vice President in 2016 said the money for this programme will be drawn out of the capital budget of the country, which, according to the 2016 budget, stands at US$1.6 billion.

With each of the 275 constituencies benefiting from this programme, Dr. Bawumia noted that “we are going to put resources at the disposal of the rural communities and the poorest communities in every constituency.”