Fifth EU Micro-Projects programme ends

Motigu (UW) May 26, GNA - Fourteen projects that were executed in various communities in the former Wa District at a total cost of 1,002 million cedis were on Wednesday inaugurated at a symbolic ceremony at Motigu in the Wa East District.

The occasion marked the end of the third phase of the fifth European Union Micro-Projects programme implemented with an EU grant of 27 million Euros and a preparatory ground for the sixth phase due to start in July this year with a grant of 25 million Euros. The completed projects included one unit three-classroom block, two nurses quarters, two rural clinics, five KVIP toilets, one warehouse and three culverts.

Mr Ambrose Dery, the Upper West Regional Minister and Dr Kwaku Osafo, Programme Manager, EU Micro-Projects Management Unit jointly performed the ceremony in the presence of Mr Erik Kristense a representative of the EU delegation in Ghana and official of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

Dr Osafo urged District Assemblies in the beneficiary districts to institute sub-committees to have oversight responsibility for monitoring the projects in their communities as the donor would not come back to fund their maintenance.

He commended the Wa and Lawra Districts for being the best performing Districts during the implementation of the projects throughout the country.

Mr. Dery said the government was determined to ensure the equitable distribution of the national cake to all parts of the country. Considering the resources available to government, however, he said this was a huge task and therefore commended the EU for bringing such vital projects to the rural areas to complement government's efforts. The Regional Minister said the projects that were being inaugurated, were made possible through funds raised from European tax payers.

"We as a people should learn lessons from this and rededicate ourselves to meeting our tax obligations."

Mr. Godfrey Bayon Tangu, acting Wa Municipal Chief Executive noted that fund in-flows were not consistent during the implementation of the projects and that affected projects of work and their completion on schedule.

Mr Tangu who is also the Member of Parliament for Wa East, suggested that the programme time table should be designed to make sure that maximum work was earned out in the dry season than in the rainy season in order to quicken the pace of work