KEEA to establish plastic recycling plant

Elmina, April 6, GNA - The Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) District Assembly in collaboration with its partners in the Netherlands, is to establish a plastic recycling plant.

The plant, which is to help solve the environmental problems in the District, is also to create jobs for the unemployed, increase internally generated revenue in the District and to improve sanitation. Mr George Frank Asmah, District Chief Executive (DCE), speaking at this year's Central Regional People's Assembly at Elmina on Wednesday, said two experts from the Netherlands had already visited the District to conduct feasibility studies for the project, which would be sited at the refuse disposal site at Essaman junction.

The programme, which was attended by Chiefs, DCEs, Heads of Departments and a cross section of the public, was on the theme, "Positive Change Chapter Two - Accelerating Development, Deepening Good Governance".

Mr Asmah, enumerated a number of projects sponsored by the government within the past five years, such as the provision of 1.2 billion cedis to improve sanitation, 300 streetlights and 500 uniforms for basic school pupils.

He said the District, had also under the its sister-city relationship with Gouda City, also in the Netherlands, benefited from a number development projects, including the construction of a staircase and retention wall at Java hill.

Other benefits from the relationship, he said were the provision of 500 refuse containers, toilets, training of teachers for a youth development programme, renovation of some houses of historical importance and the construction of the Nana Kobina Gyan square.

Mr Asmah said with the introduction of the capitation grant and the school feeding programme, enrolment had increased by eight point seven percent in the District with a total school population of 29,760, adding that the District received 1.3 billion cedis as its share of the grant. He mentioned the Eguafo-Breman D/A Primary, Daber-Benyadze-Egyeikrom, Brenu-Akyinim, Anweem-Kissi and Sanka D/A Primary Schools had been selected for the feeding programme on pilot basis and said the Assembly was arranging for the provision of kitchens, stores, canteens and water to the schools.

On revenue, he said the Assembly exceeded its target last year by more than 80 percent, but was still striving to improve it and said that a Revenue Mobilisation Committee had been established. He said a total of 500 people out of the 42,195 who registered for the Health Insurance Scheme had paid their premiums and urged the others to do so.

Mr Asmah announced that about 500 jobs had been created in the district this year and said 200 would be trained as Pupil Teachers, 100 Community Health Nurses and the remaining 200, in vocations such as carpentry.

Nana Ato Arthur, Deputy Regional Minister, commended the governments of Belgium and Ghana for signing a loan agreement for the dredging of the Benya Lagoon.

He expressed satisfaction that the capitation grant had increased school enrolment in the region by 25 percent.

More than 40 questions, bordering on the state of roads, employment, electricity and water supply, sanitation, pension, fishing and the poverty alleviation fund, were posed to Ms Christine Churcher, Minister of Environment and Science, Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines. The Dutch Ambassador in Ghana, Mr Van de Veil, attended the Assembly.