By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, July
29, GNA – Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance on Monday said that government
has initiated the implementation of some projects under the Infrastructure for
Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).
This he said
was aimed at accelerating the provision of basic infrastructure in rural and
deprived communities. The projects included: 300 small earth dams to support
all year round farming activities, 50 pre-fabricated warehouses to improve
post-harvest management to be completed by December, 2019, and 1,000 community
mechanised solar powered water systems to be completed by September, 2019.
Mr
Ofori-Atta stated in the presentation of the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of
the 2019 Budget Statement and Economic Policy & Supplementary Estimates in
Parliament in Accra.
The rest are
1,000 community and institutional water closet toilet facilities with
mechanised solar powered water systems to be completed by December, 2019, and
the construction of 50 rural markets and two urban markets to commence before
the end of the year.
The Finance
Minister said the Zongo Development Fund also sought among others to improve
the quality of life in Zongos and inner-cities through the provision of
critical infrastructure, education and training, health and sanitation, support
to local businesses and centres of culture, as well as improve security.
Mr
Ofori-Atta said government has approved the construction and rehabilitation of
water systems, rehabilitation of access roads, paving of alley ways,
construction and dredging of drains, construction of bailey bridges,
construction of local sewerage networks, construction and rehabilitation and
furnishing of basic schools, and construction of institutional and household
toilets in the Zongo communities.
He said in
addition to the development of infrastructure in the communities, 250 youth in
Accra and Kumasi have benefitted from skills training in software development
and 50 beneficiaries provided with laptops to establish their own businesses.
“Over 500
women have also been trained in entrepreneurship and business development under
the “Zongo Cuisine Promotion Programme” in the Greater Accra region. Participants
received training in packaging, food safety, business registration, record
keeping, among others,” he said.
The Finance
Minister also noted that as part of efforts to ensure equitable and easily
accessible universal health coverage, government had established Letters of
Credit to procure 275 Ambulances for each constituency.
In addition,
contracts were awarded for the construction of 26 clinics which are expected to
be completed in December, 2019.
GNA
