USAID supports Resiliency in Northern Ghana Programme

Accra, Sept. 04, GNA - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed separate agreements with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), and the Saboba and Chereponi District Assemblies to transfer funds for the Resiliency in Northern Ghana program.

Resiliency in Northern Ghana, a 60 million dollarsUSAID-supported initiative, seeks to improve the livelihoods and nutritional status of those most in need (with an emphasis on women of child-bearing age and children under five years).

A statement from the Public Affairs Sectoin on the U.S Embassy in Accra said more than 367,000 people in the Northern Region will benefit from the initiative which is expected to help increase food security, encourage the consumption of diverse quality food, and improve nutrition, especially among women and children.

This initiative will assist these low income families to improve health and enable them to better cope with natural disasters such as droughts or floods, and fluctuating food prices.

Saboboa and Chereponi are the first two districts in 12 District Assemblies in the Northern Region to start implementation of the Resiliency Program and the District Coordinating Directors of Saboba and Chereponi, Mr Evarist Dery and Mr Issaka B. Basintale respectively signed for their districts.

This first stage of the Resiliency Program, the statement said, will enable the two district assemblies to educate the beneficiary communities on the objectives of the program and begin to identify low income families, the target of the intervention.

The Northern Regional Minister, Honorable Moses Mabengba signed for the Regional Coordinating Council which is expected to provide technical, monitoring and supervisory role to the two districts.

The USAID/Ghana Mission Director, Ms Cheryl Anderson, signed the agreement on behalf of the U.S. Government.

In June 2012, the U.S. Government and the Government of Ghana represented by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP), signed a Basic Implementation Letter in Accra to transfer an initial 11 million dollars of funding for Resiliency in Northern Ghana program activities.

Under this agreement, the American people will also provide up to 28 million dollars directly to the Government of Ghana, through the MOFEP, to be disbursed to the 12 targeted District Assemblies and the NRCC.

District Assemblies and the NRCC will be able to implement activities with these funds, while USAID will also provide technical and capacity building support for those activities that are targeted to improve nutrition and strengthen the resiliency of poor families.

GNA