Government engages Development Partners on Long-term Funding for SADA

Accra, Nov 18, 2011:The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Finance will on Monday November 21st hold a National Conference with its development partners to review the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) strategy and also explore mechanisms to raise both short and long-term funding for the authority.

The conference is expected to agree on the next steps for joint action in targeting development programmes and resources for the deprived areas of the Savannah zone and others meriting priority treatment.

This is in furtherance of plans set out in the 2012 budget announced by the Minister of Finance on Wednesday November 16th to resource the authority and further boosts its full implementation.

The one-day conference will discuss SADAs Agenda and priorities for accelerated growth in the Northern Savannah; private sector as a vehicle for transformation in the SADA zone, Communication impacts and development results, as well as governments long term priorities in accelerating growth in SADA and other deprived areas.

The conference will be hosted by His Excellency, the Vice-President and the Hon. Minister of Finance and attended by all five Regional Ministers of the regions covered by SADA; Upper East, Upper West, Northern, Brong-Ahafo and Volta Regions and their respective Regional Economic Planning Officers. Other Ministries attending are Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industries, the GIPC and CSIR.

About 30 Donor Agencies and Foreign Missions are expected to be represented at the highest levels.

A keynote address by H.E. the Vice-President will map out the policy priorities that have inspired the bold policy of SADA and its institutional set-up. Other discussions on the SADA Priorities will be led by the SADA CEO, Alhaji Seidu Iddi, and perspectives on private sector funding by the Chairman of SADA, Mr. Andani Alhassan. The Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, will present an elaborate mechanism for the long-term funding of SADA, followed by responses from various donor agencies.

The Minister will also lead a dialogue with Development Partners on the proposed Investment Funding mechanism for SADA and engage them in discussing current and future pipe-line programs and funding to enhance Governments Accelerated Development programme for the SADA areas.

For more Information please contact the CEO, Alhaji Gilbert Iddi

Tel: 0244208006