Mills’ ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ Is A Social Contract

- NADOWLI DCE

The Nadowli District Assembly has within two years of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in power spent an amount of GH¢3,571,457.49 on developmental projects. This came to light when the district assembly organized its press briefing in the district capital Nadowli in the Upper West Region.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Mr Abu Kasangabata said the feat achieved by the NDC in two years in the district has overshadowed the eight years of work done by the NPP in the district.

Mr. Abu Kasangabata said the NDC campaigned on accountability and signed a social contract with the people of Ghana, this he said the NDC government is bent on delivering to the people of Ghana.

The intent of the press briefing was to bring to the fore the development projects carried out so far in the district under the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ of His Excellency John Evans Atta Mills’ government.

The DCE gave a broad outline of development projects in the district which touched on many facets of development.

Touching on security, Mr. Kasangabata said peace is one ingredient that cannot be dispensed for real development to take place. In this direction, he said the District Security Council (DISEC) through the cooperation of the people and security operatives in the area have been able to maintain peace.

He said one challenge the district is facing is the alien herdsmen who adopted a rough strategy on night grazing, destroying farms, cutting down economic trees, stealing of animals and cattle rustling and raping of women in the bush. This ugly situation, according to the DCE, through interaction with the people, the district assembly has found a lasting solution to.

He however mentioned that there are some challenges in the area of chieftaincy and land disputes in the district which are being handled by the appropriate bodies mandated by law to do so.

On education, the Nadowli DCE said the school feeding program has seen massive improvement. From the initial two schools covered by the program under the NPP, his effort under the NDC government pushed the figure to seven schools, and with the collaboration of the School Feeding Programme, fifty-five schools have been brought on board the programme in the district, making the Nadowli district the leading district with the highest number of schools under the school feeding programme in the Upper West region. He said the district has seen improvement in retention rates of school children.

Added to this, the DCE said, is the government’s giant initiative of distributing free uniforms to deprived public schools, taking note of poor parents who could not meet such commitments. He said the central government provided the district a total of 4,938 school uniforms, which have all been distributed to the school children.

Mr Abu Kasangabata said over seventy-five thousand six hundred (75,600) exercise books have also been distributed to schools in the district, especially deprived public institutions and over four thousand dual desks have also been provided for schools in the district.

Several school structures, he noted, have also been erected across the district. For example he said, Konkonpare, Balienea, sazie, Kpazie, Isa, Kontali, Jolinyiri Kojokperi and Kalsegra among others have seen renovation of 3-Unit classroom blocks, the construction of mini office and stores for the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the construction of 2 bed-room semi-detached quarters, and street lights have been extended to Queen of Peace Senior High School. A number of Day Nurseries have also been provided in places like Tangasia.

He said the District Assembly has taken the initiative to provide 6-seater KVIP toilets in various communities in the district.

The DCE said “the health sector is an area that the NDC government is doing all that it can to make sure that we have healthy people to assist in building the country. Realising this, the district assembly embarked on the construction of health facilities across the district. The assembly has already provided the communities of Kpazie CHPS Compound and Ancililaries, renovated the residence of the Nadowli medical doctor, constructed a 3 bedroom staff quarters at Daffiama, rehabilitated the CHPS Compound at Samanbo and constructed Mutual Health Insurance Office at Nadowli,” This according to the DCE is seriously assisting in improving the health delivery system in the district.

On issues affecting the welfare and the development of the youth, the DCE said under the Youth Employment Recruitment Program, district wide, his stewardship has been able to recruit 413 under the NYEP and DACF. “The youth in agriculture program is fast catching up with the youth in the district. Added to this is block farming concept introduced by the government of the NDC. The assembly is also assisting with tractors to facilitate the youth in agriculture program,” he pointed out.

The Nadowli DCE said “Water and sanitation is one area the government of the NDC is not relenting to assist to improve the lives of the people. The Nadowli district has within the two years of the coming into being of the NDC government provided water to the people of the district. In this direction, the district assembly has been able within record time provided Small Town Water Supply System to Kaleo, and is embarking on remedial works on STWSSP in Nadowli and Dafiama, provide washroom facilities for the Kaleo community and also provided 4-seater Aqua privy toilet for many communities in the district.”

“The road network in the district has also been improved tremendously. The entire township roads in the district capital, Nadowli have seen resurfacing to cover a stretch of two kilometers under the supervision of Department of Feeder Roads,” he said.

On revenue generation, Hon Kasangabata said they exceeded the 2010 targets set for the district with a difference of 94,712.85 Ghana Cedis. He said the various Area Councils are doing very well in terms of revenue generation, and this has improved internally generated funds.

The DCE said the district assembly decided to organize its own “MEET THE PRESS” in the district to inform the world what the district has done so far under the able leadership of His Excellency John Evans Atta Mills, stating that the “Better Ghana Agenda” with the declared 2011 “Action Year” is on course, saying that the two years of the NDC surpassed the eight years of the NPP in the district.

He called on NDC members to close their ranks and ensure victory for the party come 2012.

The Catalyst saw something very encouraging in the district, all party functionaries in the district were in attendance, unlike other places in the region where party functionaries cannot come together on such occasions due to bickering and internal wrangling.