Upper East delays in accessing fund

Bolgatanga, March 25, GNA - Majority of Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAS) in the Upper East Region are delaying in helping communities to come out with proposals to access the Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP).

GEMP, which is a five-year project and in its second year, is funded by the Canadian government, is aimed at reversing environmental degradation in of the three northern regions.

The Upper East Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mrs Zenabu Wasai-King, expressed the worry at a Regional Management Committee (REMC) meeting held at Bolgatanga on Thursday. She said the delay by the Assemblies to submit their proposals for vetting and approval for the funding for implementation of the GEMP Project in the communities was not the best. Under the GEMP Project, communities are to develop proposals on activities aimed at addressing environmental degradation issues and to submit it to REMC for vetting.

There will be another vetting at the national level for funding to be released for the qualified communities to implement the projects. "I wonder why such a laudable project that would help reduce poverty in the Region is being toyed with by the MDAs", she said. Mrs Wasai-King said the structures for tree nursery projects were ongoing and mentioned the Bolgatanga Municipal, Builsa District, Bawku West and Talensi Nabdam which all begun last year whilst that of the Garu-Tempane and Bongo would take off this month. "We have reactivated 10 environmental clubs and established 20 new environmental clubs in schools in the Region, carried out sensitization programmes on the GEMP in 27 communities and formed District Environmental Management Committees," she said.