Beneficiary communities not contributing to SIF

Ayensu Kperti (E/R), July 7, GNA - The inability of some communities in the Eastern Region benefiting from the Social Investment Fund (SIF) projects to make the expected counterpart contribution was stifling the completion of work there.

Under the terms of the Fund, which is part of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), beneficiary communities were expected to provide sand, stones water and labour for the implementation of the projects.

The Executive Director of SIF, Mrs Ama Serwaa Dapaah, who announced this said because the assistance was not forthcoming, contractors working on the projects hire labour to do the job.

Mrs Dapaah, accompanied by a representative of the African Development Bank (ADB), Ms Nina Okagbue and Mr Justice Akuffo-Heneku, Eastern Regional Director of SIF inspected projects in the Manya Krobo District on Tuesday.

It formed part of their two-day monitoring visits to projects being sponsored by the GPRS and SIF in the Eastern Region. Mrs Dapaah explained that the communities were requested to contribute towards the projects so that they could consider them as their own facilities.

She advised parents to assist in the rehabilitation of school buildings to enhance teaching and learning and to encourage their children to go to school.

At Ayermesu, the team inspected a 148.9-million-cedi block of three classrooms with an office, store and staff common room project for the Ayermesu Catholic School.

The community was expected to contribute communal labour, provision of sand, stones and water towards the project.

At Ayensu Kperti, the team also inspected a 228-million-cedi block of six classrooms for the Local Authority Primary School.

Dr Mensah Abrampah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of SIF, said the projects were aimed at helping to increase school intake, improve upon teaching and learning to help produce educated people who could help alleviate poverty in the rural areas.

Ms Okagbue said the ADF was satisfied with the work of the SIF in the country and urged parents to support the projects to ensure its success.

The team would also inspect similar projects in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar and the Birim South Districts. 07 July 04