One million dollars for each constituency inadequate – Hawa Koomson

The Minister in Charge of Special Development Initiatives, Madam Mavis Hawa Koomson, says government’s one million dollar allocation for each constituency is insufficient looking at the rising needs of each constituency.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in its 2018 budget announced a policy where every constituency will be given US$1 million as part of the party’s poverty alleviation scheme.

This formed part of a proposed US$275 million to be allocated each year to million to spend on priority infrastructure in rural and deprived communities across the country.

Speaking to Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka AM Drive Thursday, Madam Hawa Koomson, explained that although government’s one million – dollar allocation for each constituency is a very good policy, it seems the needs of some communities surpass that of others.

According to her, whereas some communities only need mechanized boreholes, others need amenities such as schools, hospitals, boreholes, CHIP compounds, solar panels which are supposed to be facilitated by the same 1 million dollars.

“My constituency, for instance, is in dire need of drains. In 2018, a 10-member team was commissioned to assess the needs of our constituencies and If I should tell you the kind of needs some constituencies require, you understand that even the 1 million dollars is not enough,” she said.

She noted that the National Development Authority has been charged to bring in investors to support the project.