EU spends C27bn on projects in the Northern Region

Tamale, June 08, GNA- The European Union (EU) has, since the inception of the Micro-Projects Programme in 2000 the Northern Region, spent over 27.313 billion cedis to execute projects in parts of the region.

The projects include the construction of school blocks, sanitation and health facilities as well as social infrastructure targeted at addressing the needs of the communities.

The Tamale Metropolis executed 36 projects at a total cost of 3.2 billion cedis, while the Savelugu/Nanton District Assembly executed 34 projects at a cost of 2.81 billion cedis and the Tolon/Kumbungu District Assembly executed 33 projects at a cost of 2.11 billion cedis. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, the Northern Regional

Minister-designate said this in a speech read for him at the opening of a two-day Micro-Project District Information Campaign organised for the three assemblies in Tamale on Thursday.

Participants at the workshop included District Chief executives, District Coordinating directors, district finance officers and planning officers.

Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, the acting Tamale Metropolitan District Chief Executive, said the EU projects had contributed immensely to the improvement of the living standards of the people.

He said the EU micro-projects programmes were in tandem with the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) 1 and II.

Mr Adam said there were some shortcomings in the implementation of the 5th EU micro-projects programme but assured that "Enough budgetary provisions have been made in our 2006 budget to accommodate the 25 per cent Assembly and community contributions" to address these problems. Mr. Adam said since the project was community based and demand driven there was the need for information and education about it for its successful implementation. Government provides dual desks for Upper East schools

Bolgatanga, June 08, GNA - Basic education in the Upper East Region received a boost on Thursday when the government, through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GET-Fund), presented 4,500 dual desks valued at about 2 billion cedis for distribution to schools in the region's eight districts.

Mr Boniface Gambila, the Regional Minister, recalled the situation in the recent past when parents were saddled with the additional burden of procuring writing desks and chairs for their wards. "The era when our little children who could not afford furniture laid on their bellies to do class exercises is now a thing of the past," he said.

The Regional Minister said the government's poverty alleviation strategies did not necessarily imply the dishing out of fiscal cash directly to the people.

"By donating this furniture alone, government has saved our parents in this region 2 billion cedis which they would otherwise have spent on purchasing tables and chairs for their wards." Mr Gambila urged District Chief executives and local communities in the region to take interest in monitoring the use of school furniture to prevent pilfering.

He suggested the formation of what he called "Mobile Volunteer Carpenters" in the districts to move from school to school to rehabilitate weak or broken furniture. 08 June 06