Japan Gives Over $90m to Three Organisations

The Government of Japan yesterday extended a total of $91,464 (approximately 741 million cedis) under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Project (GPP) to three organisations at a signing ceremony at the Japanese Embassy in Accra.

The organisations were Badunu Water User's Association in the Upper East Region, Mafi-Agorve/Vodza Youth Development Association in the Volta Region, and Ricerca e Cooperazione, an Italian non- governmental organisation working in the country.

Mrs. Kazuko Asai, Japan's Ambassador to Ghana signed the three grant contracts on behalf of the Government of Japan whiles, Mr. Atudichega Adoba, Chief of Baduna Community, signed for the Baduna Water User's Association, Mr. Franklin Agbanator, Engineer/Secretary signed for the Mafi-Agorve /Vodza Youth Development Association and Dr. Gianna De Re, Country Representative signed for the Ricerca e Cooperazione.

The Baduna Water User's Association received $24,933 for the rehabilitation of the Badunu small-scale irrigation dam near Bolgatanga.

Mrs. Asai said, "when I visited Upper East Region last July I learned with great concern that the northern part of Ghana is experiencing the lack of this essential resource, especially in the dry season of harmattan".

She said the Japan Government, under the GPP Scheme, has so far extended six grants towards the construction of dams in the Upper East and Upper West Region and this project would be the seventh to receive this aid.

Mr. Pele Abuga, MP for Chiana-Paga expressed his gratitude to Japan on behalf of the Chief of Baduna. He said the project is crucial to the economic and social life of the people of Badunu, and will also check the migration of the youth to the urban areas because now they would have work to do in the town.

The Mafi-Agorve/Vodze Youth Development Association received $31,037 for the construction and finishing of a three-unit classroom block for the Mafi-Agorve/Vodza Junior Secondary School.

Mrs. Asai congratulated the Association for being one of six to be given the grant. She said the GGP has been put in place with the aim of improving the socio-economic standard of the underprivileged and therefore must be utilized diligently to enable it to achieve its purpose.

Mr. Agbanator promised that the grant would be put to the use it was given and thanked the Japanese Government for their support. Ricerca e Cooperazions received $35,494 for the construction of a clinic complex at Mayera-Faase in the Ga District to cater for the health needs of over 10,000 people in 30 communities in the Greater Accra Region. The Ambassador said, "the provision of this grant has reassured my government's readiness to respond positively to appeals related to health care and other needs of this nation".