Do not politicize National youth employment scheme- Nduom

Elmina, Dec. 22, GNA 96The Minister of Public Sector Reform, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, on Friday called on district assemblies not to politicize the implementation of the national youth employment scheme. He said if the implementation is done on a non-partisan way, it would not only bring jobs to the unemployed youth but it would also bring goodwill and encourage the public, especially the youth to believe in democracy.

Dr Nduom, who is also the Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem made the call during a stakeholders meeting at Elmina. The meeting, which was attended by assembly members in Elmina and heads of departments was, among others, to take stock on the development issues of the district and to also evolve programmes for the coming year.

The Minister said the meetings would be extended to other traditional areas in the constituency and said due to a similar meeting he held last year with the members he was able to secure an amount of 1.2 billion cedis from central government to improve sanitation in Elmina. Dr Nduom, who took the members through the number of development projects executed with his MP's common fund, said he would continue to operate an all inclusive administration to enhance the total development of the area as he promised during his campaign. The Minister said, he has championed the dredging of the Benya Lagoon and announced that currently the contractor to dredge the lagoon was at site and urged them to give him the needed support and assistance to ensure the early completion of the project. The Minister however appealed to the contractor to give concession to the people of Elmina and its surrounding areas by engaging their services in all the constructional works.

Dr. Nduom said apart from the dredging of the Lagoon, he has also spent 200 million cedis out of 400 million cedis from his HIPC fund to construct a community centre for the people of Eguafo and that the remaining would be use to construct a community library at Agona. The Minister said he has also purchased a tractor at the cost of 160 million cedis to be used to support farmers in the constituency, and that 100 million cedis has also been committed from his GetFund to complete a Jss building for the people of Elmina Zongo, adding that a total of 15 outboard motors valued at 375 million cedis has been procured and given to fishermen in Elmina and Komenda.

Dr. Nduom pledged that before the end of 2008, he would construct community libraries in Elmina, Agona, Eguafo and Komenda and urged the chiefs of the various areas to make land available for the projects. On International relations, the Minister said a cultural relationship would be established between Elmina and a Provence in France and that in March next year a fact-finding team from France, was expected to visit Elmina to consolidate the relationship. Mr James Gmakame, district environmental health officer, who briefed the meeting on the sanitation situation in the district expressed concern about the attitude of the public towards waste disposal, stressing that even though a number of litter bins and skip loaders have been provided at vantage points in the area people still litter the streets with impunity. He, in this regard, urged the members to educate the public to make use of the facilities, adding that provision has also been for house-to-house refuse collection through the Zoomlion programme. The participants expressed concern about the lack of light in the public toilets in the area and the delay in the dislodging of the facilities, stressing that as a result people preferred to use the beaches. They also suggested the construction of places of convenience in private homes to ease the pressure on the 17 public toilets in the area.

Mr. Saaka Dramani district coordinating director, who presided, commended the members for their support and urged them to always endeavour to make constructive criticisms to enhance the development of the district.