Takoradi, Jan. 27, GNA - Government has secured funds from the African Development Bank for the construction of new hospitals at Tarkwa and Essem in the Juabeso-Bia District. Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, who announced this at the People's Assembly in Takoradi on Monday, said the projects would commence this year.
He also hinted that contracts have been awarded for the building of a block of district health administration at Tarkwa and semi-detached quarters for nurses in Takoradi.
Mr Aidoo said there was a programme for the construction of more blocks of classrooms for the Nursing and Midwifery Training College in Sekondi.
He said a contract has been awarded for the building of a day community health training school at Sefwi Wiawso. Mr Aidoo said government was soughting funds for the renovation and expansion of the Takoradi and Bibiani Hospitals, which had never seen any major rehabilitation since they were built in the colonial era. He said 150 communities in the region were being connected to the national electricity grid, under phase three of the Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP), European Union Projects and the Nyinahin area projects.
Mr Aidoo said 316 communities in the region would benefit from SHEP four projects that would start soon.
He said water supply system in the Sekondi-Takoradi area was undergoing major rehabilitation under a Dutch Government loan facility. Mr Aidoo said the work, which was estimated at 272. 3 billion cedis would be completed in November this year.
He said other schemes were been implemented to improve water supply system in Sekondi-Takoradi, Tarkwa, Bogoso, Prestea and Enchi.
Mr Aidoo said Ghana Telecom had so far provided six out of the 11 districts in the region with telephone services.
He said seven districts enjoy pay phone services and only three out of the 11 districts enjoy mobile cellular facilities.
Mr Aidoo said Ghana Telecom had a 13,400-line capacity switch at Takoradi and a 3000-capacity one at Sekondi adding that all the facilities had been almost fully utilised.
He also said plans were afoot to crease the capacity of the switches to enable as many customers as possible to enjoy the services. Mr Aidoo said in addition to the fixed telephone lines, Ghana Telecom has installed a total number of 503 pay phones in Takoradi and 87 in Sekondi.
Mr Aidoo said the Baidoe Bonsu Secondary Technical at Agona-Nkwanta, Amenfiman Secondary School, Wasa Akropong, Shama Secondary School, Shama and Wiawso Secondary School, Sefwi Wiawso all in the region had been selected for upgrading to model status.
He said construction work at a cost of 66.48 billion cedis was currently going on at the educational institutions.
Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, said the government had spent about 4.8billion cedis on the promotion the welfare of women and children in the country.
She said no regime had done so much as the NPP government on the improvement of the condition of women and children. Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive, said the law on the award of contracts permitted assembly members to bid for contracts of their respective assemblies. He, however, said they were required to declare their intention in which case, they were barred from participating in the tendering exercise.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame, Omanhene of Nsein Traditional Area, said the President and members of the Standing Committee of the Regional House of Chiefs would as from March this year, tour all districts in the region to inspect projects being undertaken by the assemblies. He said the House would initiate measures to settle chieftaincy disputes to ensure the development of the region. Awulae Kwame requested the police to inform the public whether suspects who were arrested at various times for attacking traditional rulers in the region had been prosecuted.
