US-Embassy supports rural community with grinding mill

Sandu (NR), Feb. 17, GNA - Alhaji Abubakari Atori, Savelugu/Nanton District Chief Executive (DCE) has called on stakeholders to have more commitment in the fight against the guinea worm disease in the Northern Region particularly Savelugu where the disease is more precarious. He said the issue was not just the prevalence of the disease but the fact that the disease was declining in other districts in the region and was shifting to other districts in leaps and bounds there was a problem somewhere, which needed to be addressed.

Alhaji Atori said this at the commissioning ceremony of a 37-million cedi grinding mill facility at Sandu a farming community in the Savelugu/Nanton District for the people to help alleviate their poverty. The United States of America-Embassy in Ghana funded the project under the US-Ambassador's Self-Help Programs in collaboration with the Tuma Kavi Development Association, a Tamale-based NGO.

The facility is aimed at serving three communities around Sandu and has a sheabutter processor as well as grains miller and would also help the women to processes sheabutter in large quantities for sale. Alhaji Atori said the district recorded only 427 guinea worm cases in January-December 2006 and had recorded 683 cases January 2007 and described the situation as unacceptable, which needed the support of all to fight the disease.

He commended the US-Embassy for the support it had given to communities in the district over the years and called on them to see how best they could help improve the water sector in the district as a means of fighting the guinea worm disease.

Alhaji Atori advised the youth to venture into the agric-business under the National Youth Employment programme (NYEP) as a means of employment to better their lives.

Madam Peace A. Nunoo, Coordinator of the Ambassador's Special Self-Help Programs said the Embassy from 1990 to 2006 had received US grants totalling more than one million dollars, which had been used to provide self-help projects to rural communities throughout the country.

She said the Northern Regions had peculiar problems due to the unfavourable rainfall pattern and that her outfit would continue to give

support to organised groups to collectively work and alleviate poverty. Mr. John Abu Mahama, Programmes Coordinator of Tuma Kavi observed that when economic activities were put in place in communities, the people would always live together in harmony and peace. He said the Tuma Kavi was interested in working to improve the lives of children and vulnerable women in rural communities to ensure that there was economic liberation to promote peace and order.

Ms Sanatu Nantogmah, Country Director of the Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC), Tuma Kavi partners in development work in the Northern Region in a speech read for her advised mothers to use funds to offer their children the needed educate.

Madam Peace Nunoo and Alhaji Atori later jointly inaugurated the grinding mill for the women to formally commence operation.