EU inaugurates project in Upper East Region

Navrongo (U/E), Aug 18, GNA - The European Union has inaugurated six projects under its sixth Micro-Projects Programme in the Upper East Region.

The projects are a day care centre, two three-unit classroom blocks in Navrongo and three other projects at Yemonsa in the Builsa District all at a cost of 317,611.53 Ghana cedis.

Mrs. Lucy Awuni, Deputy Regional Minister, who accompanied a team of personnel from the European Commission to inspect and inaugurate, said the facilities would provide good and conducive environment for teaching and learning.

She said the government alone could not carry out all development programmes and interventions from donor agencies such as the European Union were appreciated.

Mr. Willemm Roodhard of the European Union, who inaugurated the projects, said the government needed to remain committed to the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive decentralization policy.

He said a district development fund to pool funds of the government and its development partners would encourage the development of robust national procedures and increase the transparency and accountability of local government.

Mr. Roodhard said the European Commission already supported the implementation of the National Decentralize Action Plan and could in the near future provide sustainable resources in the form of sector budget support.

He said those interventions would strengthen the government of Ghana, the role of the district assemblies and local institutions in the management and monitoring of service delivery, investment and maintenance of community water supplies, schools, clinics and feeder roads.

The Programme Manager, Mr. Kwabena Darfoor, said the projects were part of the 904 infrastructural projects undertaken under the 6th Micro Projects programme countrywide between July 2006 and June 2009.

He said 81 projects made up of 34 three-unit classroom blocks, 16 day care centres, six teachers' quarters, 12 rural clinics and Community Health Plan Service (CHPS) compounds, three toilets, five culverts, feeding centre and one craft centre had been constructed in the Upper East Region.

GNA