Our fortunes are changing as a region - Minister

The Central Region has been a big beneficiary of government interventions, policies and initiatives which has seen its fortunes changing for the better, the Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan, has stated.

He said the region’s share of policies such as the One District One Factory (1D1F), Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), planting for Export and Rural Development among others were gradually opening up the region and making it more economically viable.

Mr Duncan said this when he interacted with the media in Cape Coast on Tuesday to account to the people of the region of his stewardship as the Regional Minister over the period of four years.

He said the region could boast of six major factories under the 1D1F initiative which were producing for both local and international markets.

They include; Petersfield and Rey Fruit and Juice Processing Factory at Elmina, CASA De ROPA Potato Factory , Ekumfi Fruit and Juice Processing Factory, Nixin Paper Company at Efutu, Rikpat Factory at Gomoa East and a Gas Cylinder factory at Awutu Senya.

He also mentioned the Green House project at Awutu Senya and said the region was on the right path of gaining strong socio-economic development and progress.

He said the PFJ programme had seen significant patronage since its inception in 2017 with 51,771 farmers in the region benefiting as at 2020.

This, he said was significant improvement in yields and abundance of food in the markets.

On education, he said a total of 253 Free SHS projects made up of 83 classroom projects, 95 dormitory projects and 75 other projects were executed.

He said the government implemented Cocoa Productivity Enhancement Programmes (PEps)such as Seedling distribution, Mass pruning, Pollination, Irrigation, Ground preparation for rehabilitation exercise, among others that had helped improve the livelihood of cocoa farmers in the region.

Mr Duncan implored the media to continue to educate the public on their civic responsibilities and on the need to ensure peace before, during and after the elections saying there was only one Ghana which must be protected.

He commended the media in the region for a cordial working relations saying “if the region has come this far, then you the media has played your part” and hoped that the bond of relationship would be strengthened in the next administration of the NPP.