Tepa (Ashanti Region), 25 Jan. '99,
Tepa (Ashanti Region), 25 Jan. '99, The Ahafo Ano North District Assembly is to build head teachers' bungalows in seven communities at an estimated cost of 150 million cedis this year as part of its bid to raise the standard of education in the district. The beneficiary communities are Bosikese, Boagya number one, Boagya number two, Anyinasuso, Twabidi and two other communities to be selected later. The assembly is also to build Police stations at Manfo, Mabang and Abonsuaso at the cost of 120 million cedis. These were made known by Mr Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, the District Chief Executive when he presented the assembly's supplementary estimates for the utilisation of the 1999 Common Fund at a meeting at Tepa. Mr Oppong-Fosu said the assembly will spend 60 million cedis on the construction of water closet systems for the Manfo, Subriso and Betiako Maternity Wards and 10 seater KVIPs at Anyinasuso, Vocational Training Centre. Twenty selected towns and villages will be assisted under the Community Water and Sanitation Programme with 18 million cedis while the assembly will also construct 15 hand-dug wells fitted with pumps at the cost of 75 million cedis in 15 selected villages. The DCE said 80 low voltage poles have been purchased to assist Akwasiase and Mabang under the Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP). However, the Executive Committee intends to meet the opinion leaders at Mabang to account for the proceeds from the sale of some teak trees which they felled in 1995 meant for the purchase of low voltage poles for their electrification project but which they failed to do. Mr Oppong-Fosu said a consultant, who was contracted to study the modalities for granting and collecting of loans under the poverty alleviation programme has recommended that it should be handled entirely by an independent organisation such as the banks and other recognised institutions. The DCE said he regretted that in spite of the fact that the national policy on poverty alleviation was started in the district in 1996 the programme was yet to achieve the desired results. He said the recovery rate which was about 94 per cent has changed for the worse. Some assembly members led the beneficiaries to take the loans but have failed to recover the money for the assembly pointing out that it will be sad for the assembly to drag them to court and warned that the assembly will have no option but to take that line of action if they failed to act. GRi
