Ejura-Sekyedumase District to benefit from livestock project

Ejura (Ash), Dec 27, GNA- The Ejura-Sekyedumase District has been selected as one of the districts to benefit from a World Bank assisted livestock development project which takes off next year. The project forms part of the government's efforts to boost agriculture production to meet the food and meat demands of the growing population, Madam Elizabeth Owusu, the District Chief Executive said on Wednesday.

Addressing the third meeting of the Assembly at Ejura, she said the district was selected in view of its track record in food and animal production, noting that the project will additionally provide jobs for the youth in the area.

Madam Owusu said the assembly received 1.9 and 1.5 billion cedis as the district's share of the common fund and the HIPC fund respectively, and that the money was used for projects in the fields of education, health, water and sanitation and for the provision of social infrastructure.

She expressed disappointment at the low revenue generation and said out of the projected 629.7 million cedis revenue, only 547 million cedis was collected and asked the revenue collectors to back up next year.

Madam Owusu assured farmers that the assembly had taken pragmatic measures to fight bushfires, which had become annual ritual in the area. She, however, urged farmers in the district to move away from the annual crop cultivation and engage in perennial crop production, which was more sustainable.

The DCE expressed satisfaction with the improvement in sanitation in the district due to some prudent measures taken by the Assembly. She commended the police in the district for maintaining peace and providing security in the face of the numerous chieftaincy disputes. Madam Owusu also commended the Ghana News Agency (GNA) for coming out with a story on one Adiyia, a revenue collector who duped the assembly 59 million cedis and went into hiding.

Adiyia presented himself to the assembly following the publication of the story and is now in police custody pending investigation.