USAID Signs RING Initiative With Districts

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and four districts in the Northern Region on Monday signed Project Implementation Letters to advance the Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) initiative.

This signing paves way for the release of an initial tranche of three million dollars to the four beneficiary districts to implement the RING programme.

RING is a 60 million dollar project by the United States (U.S) Government to improve the livelihoods and nutritional status of the poorest of Northern Regional households with an emphasis on pregnant and lactating women and children under five years.

In all, RING will be implemented in 17 districts in the Northern Region, which USAID and its partners in district and regional government have identified through an assessment process.

District Chief Executives and representatives for the four beneficiary districts including Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Central Gonja and East Mamprusi signed on behalf of their districts whiles Ms Cheryl Anderson, USAID Ghana Mission Director, signed on behalf of the US Government.

The event was witnessed by Alhaji Issahaku Alhassan, Northern Regional Coordinating Director.

Ms Anderson, after the signing, said the implementation of the RING project showed the U.S Government’s commitment to international efforts at ensuring aid effectiveness.

She said Ghana was one of the priority countries of President Barack Obama’s “Feed the Future” programme, hence the need for RING programme.

She said: “The Basic Implementation Letter was signed on June 24, 2012, with the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning for the initial tranche of 11 million dollars, and these four new agreements with district assemblies in Northern Region, demonstrates the commitment of President Obama to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action and Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.”

She expressed confidence in the beneficiary district assemblies to effectively implement the project.

Alhaji Alhassan, who also deputized the Regional Minister, described the RING initiative as one of the greatest programmes to improve livelihoods in the region.

He gave the assurance that the Regional Coordinating Council would provide the needed support to ensure the success of the programme.

Alhaji Seidu Amidu, District Chief Executive for Nanumba South, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the U.S Government for the project and pledged their commitment to ensure its success.