Brong Ahafo Region achieves much success under NDC Government - Nyamekye-Marfo

Sunyani, Sept. 19, GNA – Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, on Wednesday said the immense rich and wide range of expertise and experience acquired from members of the Regional Co-Coordinating Council (RCC) culminated in the region's socio-economic outstanding successes chalked during his administration.

These include the celebration of the region's Golden Jubilee, the RCC's intention to name the newly established University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) after the late President John Evans Atta Mills and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development's creation of the additional 45 Municipal and District Assemblies in the country.

He said: “These are some of the projects executed and others being pursued in the region as well some of those yet to be effected by the Government”.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, who is also Chairman of the RCC, was delivering a Sessional Address at a meeting of the council at Sunyani.

He said some government social intervention programmes were the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Basic and Emergency Intervention Policies on Senior High School (SHS) 2010-2012.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister said the task to plan and organise a successful Brong Ahafo Region at 50 Celebration was “quiet daunting and challenging,” Nevertheless, “the relentless effort of the 30-Member Planning committee provided sufficient motivation to ensure that the celebration was successful.

Projects like the Golden Jubilee Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre, Golden Jubilee Arch, busts of the seven gallant chiefs or founding fathers and statue of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's First President, were all monuments to justify the success of the celebration.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo announced that the admission process into UENR had been completed and the first batch of about 200 students for the 2012-2013 academic year had been admitted.

He said the proposed date for official and actual take off would either be on October 27 or November 3.

On the decision to name the UENR after late President Mills, the Council would send a recommendation to the University Council to seek its consideration for the proposal.

He announced that the five new districts in the region were Asutifi South with its headquarters at Hwidiem, Banda District with Banda Ahenkro as capital, Dormaa West District with Nkrankwanta as capital, Sene East District with headquarters at Kajaji and Techiman North District with Tuobodom as its capital.

Each of the newly created districts benefited from a seed capital of GHC100,000 to secure basic infrastructure that would serve as office and residential accommodation and its inauguration.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo expressed appreciation to chiefs in the region for their contribution towards the realisation of the region's share of the newly created districts by readily releasing large tracts of land and some existing structures in their respective areas for their smooth take-off and urged them to continue to help the council's programmes and activities.

He said plans were far advanced to elevate Sunyani and Techiman Municipal Assemblies into Metropolitan status next year, and expressed the hope that implementation of the decision would deepen the decentralisation process.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo reminded the council that the region had been billed to host the 2012 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) from Friday, October 12 to Saturday October 20.

He said construction of the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Insurance Office, estimated at about GH¢ 650,000, had been completed and operational, with the scheme's client coverage at 2,266,593 as at July, this year, representing 99.31 per cent of the Brong Ahafo Regional population of 2,282,128.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said government had paid a total of GH¢159,701,236 as service claims by service providers in the region within the period.

GNA