The Upper East Region is to benefit from 156 projects in the second phase of the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) under the government’s flagship ‘1 Constituency 1-million-dollar project.
The projects are the region’s share out of the 544 projects allocated for the Northern Development Authority (NDA) catchment area and would benefit all the 15 constituencies in the region.
A Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NDA, Mr Patrick Seidu, said this at a sod-cutting ceremony of a Community-Based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compound in Tubong, a community in the Tempane district, to kick start construction of the phase 2 projects of the 1 constituency 1-million-dollar initiative in the Upper East region.
The projects under the second phase include; boreholes, CHPS compounds, school blocks and furniture for schools.
Mr Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, the Member of Parliament for Tempane constituency and Deputy Attorney General, thanked the president for allowing residents to select projects of their choice.
He said the Tempane constituency would benefit projects such as CHPS compounds, boreholes, schools, dual desks, market stores, culverts and electricity polls.
“Aside these projects, the NDA has started other projects, including; six small-town water systems, we also have water closet systems for six communities and all these projects are at various stages of completion”, he said.
Later, the rehabilitation of a silted dam at Sakote community in the Nabdam district was commissioned.
Naba Sigri Bewong, the Paramount Chief of the Sakote Traditional Area, thanked the government for acceding to the community’s request to desilt the dam which will aid in reducing poverty in the community.
“The benefits that we are going to get are tremendous when it is constructed and handed over to the people, our animals will no longer stray to the Red Volta where they are prey to thieves. We shall have dry season gardening and the youth will no longer go down south searching for jobs”, Naba Bewong said.
The District Chief Executive for Tempane, Mr Paul Azumah Abugri and DCE for Nabdam, Madam Agnes Anamoo both lauded the government for the projects and pledged to ensure good quality work is done by the contractors.