Akufo-Addo will implement $1m, 1 constituency poverty policy without sweat- Karbo

The New Patriotic Party says the one million, one constituency policy per year which is aimed at fighting poverty in Ghana is completely feasible and will be implemented if Nana Akufo-Addo is elected in December.

The party has promised to allocate a total of $1.6 billion under the infrastructure for poverty alleviation policy if it wins the upcoming elections.

Out of this amount, one million dollars will be given to each of the 275 constituencies a year for four years for projects targeted at fighting poverty across the country.

This policy has been described by some elements of the governing National Democratic Congress as highfalutin, a promise only meant to win votes and not meant to be executed.

But the NPP says the naysayers, will once again be proved wrong.

A Deputy Director of Communication of the party, Anthony Karbo, in an interview with Joy News said a Nana Akufo-Addo presidency will implement this policy without any sweat.

Asked where the party will secure funding for the project, Karbo said the funding will come from the budget, under the annual capital expenditure fund.

Building Ghana from bottom
Anthony Karbo said this new policy will be a "major policy shift" from the centralized way of governing the country.

The party's flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo at a campaign in Kunbungu in the Northern Region and in an apparent reference to the one million, one constituency policy said his government will "build Ghana from the bottom up".

Anthony Karbo in explaining the policy said each constituency will now determine what is more important and how much money will be used for the project in alleviating policy.

He also dismissed assertion the policy will make the District Assemblies redundant.

He noted the monies allocated under the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) are not enough and that the funds for the infrastructure for poverty alleviation will augment that which is provided under the DACF.

"The existing funds haven't met the concerns of the people. As we go around, there is a call for amenities.

"Accra will no longer decide a bridge is needed in a particular constituency.... We will make the monies available to the constituencies themselves for poverty alleviation policies," he stated.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah