GHC500 Million Released For Poverty Eradication Programme

The government has said the main vehicle for delivering the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) have been established and their governing boards inaugurated.

Reading, the 2018 mid-year budget review statement at Parliament, the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Attah said, 'For the implementation of the programme, commencement certificates amounting to GH¢548.1 million have so far been issued out of the approved budget of GH¢1.237 million.'

He said an additional commencement of GH¢343.5 million was being processed; adding that it had paved way for the construction of 1,000 community based limited mechanised solar powered water system.

He said the certificate issuance had also paved way for the construction of 501,000 metric tons of prefabricated warehouses, the construction of 570 small dams and dugouts in the three Northern Regions under the One Village, One Dam initiative, and the construction of 1,000 10-seater water closet institutional/community toilets with mechanised boreholes and solar panels.

According to the sector Minister, work on the implementation of the water systems had been progressing steadily across the three development zones.

He noted: '119 boreholes have been drilled in the Northern Zone, representing 42 percent of the target, 264 boreholes have been drilled in the middle belt representing about 79 percent of the target, whilst the Coastal Development Zone have had 156 boreholes sites drilled, representing about 40 percent of the target.'

He further stated that One Village, One Dam initiative project had identified 570 sites and carried out survey and design works for the construction of small dams and dugouts adding that 'the first batch comprising 186 projects have been awarded and contractors are mobilising to commence work.'

Touching on the One District-One Factory (1D1F) policy, Mr Ken Ofori-Attah said to attract more private sector investments in support of the programme, Cabinet had approved incentive packages including tax waivers, which would be presented to Parliament for approval.

He added that the Ministry of Trade and Industry had so far received 781 expressions of interest, out of which 632 had been reviewed and 332 were currently being processed for financial support.

He said implementation had commenced on 15 projects in the Eastern, Central, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra Regions with a total amount of GH¢416.692 million approved so far through the Ghana EXIM Bank to finance the projects, expected to create 13,022 of direct and indirect jobs upon completion.