Assemblies asked to be fair in disbursing PAF

Akatsi (V/R), Jan. 22 GNA - District Assemblies have been asked to be fair in disbursing the Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) and not to concentrate on residents in the district capitals and other major towns. Mama Awli II of Posumornu, who gave the advice, said people in remote communities where poor and most vulnerable and needed financial assistance to enable them enhance their economic activities. The opinion leader who was contributing to an open forum at the People's Assembly at Akatsi on Wednesday noted that people in villages in her area have never benefited from the PAF though they have applied for the assistance many times.

Mama Awli, said, people living in the urban areas were relatively better off than those in the rural and deprived communities. Mr Kofi Dzamesi, deputy Volta Regional Minister, said the government was on cause in transforming Ghana into a buoyant country.

He said the current government's widespread infrastructure development, adherence to the rule of law and good governance, modernisation of agriculture, maintenance of peace and prudent economic programmes were all geared towards national development.

Mr Dzamesi said the region would continue to have its fair share of the national cake and cited the 80 million dollar Keta sea defence project and the 10 billion cedis housing project for the resettlement of the people of Vodza in the Keta area.

He said major roads including Keta-Sogakope, Kpando-Krachi, Kadjebi-Nkwanta and Sogakope-Adidome-Ho, which were currently under construction, would open up the region for economic development. Mr Dzamesi said the Afife Irrigation Project, under which only 27 acres of the land were being cultivated when the government assumed office adding that over 880 acres of rice were being cultivated through prudent government policies.

Mr Nicholas Negble, the Akatsi District Chief Executive (DCE), said projects valued at over 15 billion cedis were executed in the district including roads, schools and health facilities, water and irrigation projects and scholarships were also being granted to brilliant but needy students.

He said the projects were implemented under the HIPC and European Union (EU) micro project programmes, Village Infrastructure Programme (VIP) and with District Assemblies Common Fund.

The DCE said the assembly has acquired a plot of land for a new public cemetery for the Akatsi township to end the burial of bodies in homes as part of the assembly's sanitation improvement programme.

Miss Cate Aku Aglah, South Tongu DCE, asked women to take advantage of the numerous skills training programmes and the credit facilities under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to improve their living conditions.