SIF finances 48 projects in Upper West

Eremon (UW), Feb. 9, GNA - The Social Investment Fund (SIF), has so far financed 48 projects in 46 communities of the Upper West Region at a total cost of 8.3 billion cedis, since it started operating in the Region in March 2002.

The Projects included 17 classroom blocks, ten rural clinics and nutrition centres, three boreholes, two KVIP toilets, three access roads and 11 agricultural and income generating ventures.

Mr Kwame Obeng Nti, Zonal Officer of the Fund in charge of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions said 46 of the projects had been completed and were in use.

He was speaking at Eremon in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region on Friday at a forum to sensitize the people on their role in the implementation of a number of projects for the benefit of the Eremon Primary School.

A six-classroom block, an office, a store, a staff common room, a library and a five-seater KVIP are being constructed for the school by SIF at a total cost of 770 million cedis.

Ghana News Agency saw Primary class One, Two and Three pupils having their separate lessons under trees at the school, which according to the teachers had a total enrolment of 480 pupils.

Mr Nti said SIF approved eight projects for execution in the Lawra District at an overall cost of 2.14 billion cedis with six of them completed at Bu, Gbieri, Kunyuukuo, Gengenkpe, Tome, and Lissa, while construction of those at Eremon and Kokoligu had just commenced. He said SIF interventions since its inception in 1998, had benefited about 1.2 million poor people, 57 per cent of whom were women in 108 districts through out the country.

On the role of the community in the implementation of projects under the fund, he said they were expected to support the contractor in the form of labour such as foundation excavation, hardcore filling and moulding of blocks.