By
Godfred A. Polkuu, GNA
Fumbisi (U/E) Nov.
09, GNA – The Builsa South District in the Upper East Region is burdened with a
debt of Gh¢1.7million from old projects and programmes executed by the previous
government.
“It is an indication
that some of the outstanding payments on projects executed for the previous
years would have to be made before the commencement of new projects”, Mr Daniel
Kwame Gariba, the District Chief Executive, said this when he met the Press at
Fumbisi, the District Capital, to render account of activities and showcase
development projects undertaken within the District over the years.
The meeting was part
of a directive given by the Ministry of Information through the Ministry of
Local Government and Rural Development to Metropolitan, Municipal and District
Assemblies to account for development projects with pictorial evidence of
projects undertaken within their Districts.
Mr Gariba said the
Assembly had, however, constructed Community-Based Health Planning Services
(CHPS) compounds at Baasa, Pintengsa and Nyambisi communities at the costs of
Gh¢316,409.00, Gh¢322,394.00 and Gh¢357,847.30 respectively from its share of
the Common Fund and internally generated revenue.
On security, the DCE
said peace and security was restored in the District, which hitherto, was
characterized by frequent armed robbery attacks, especially on market days, and
indicated that “Through the collaborative efforts of the District Security
Council, the Security was able to arrest three notorious armed robbers and
successfully prosecuted them.”
He said government
through the Police administration had equipped the District Police Service with
a brand new vehicle for patrols, and as part of plans to further ensure the
safety of citizens in the area whiles plans were underway to renovate a
structure at the District Police Office to serve as Office of the District
Commander.
He said the District
had seen significant improvement in sanitation through the Community Led Total
Sanitation Project, adding that, “Out of 30 communities targeted for Open
Defecation Free in the District this year, 27 communities representing 90
percent were declared Open Defecation Free,” he added.
Mr Gariba said the
Assembly through the support of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency,
received 175 newly improved toilet facilities known as ‘Digni Loo,’ a plastic
toilet technology, to nine communities, namely: Uwasi-Pion, Uwasi-Golluk,
Dalaasa, Uwasi-Chansa, Mosidema, Logzirinsa, Yedema-Yogsa, Gobsa-Naagandem and
Uwasi-Gamsa.
He said UNICEF
constructed and handed over institutional latrines to five schools, and
supported the Assembly to identify and train 30 Artisans and 150 Community
Technical Providers to provide technical services on sanitation to some
communities.
He said the District
had the largest Rice Valley in the Region but only 14 per cent was under
cultivation production, “So the Planting for Food and Jobs policy of the
government has come in handy to complement the effects of rice production in
the District”.
In an interview with
the Ghana News Agency after the meeting, on rice production in the District, Mr
Sylvan Dauda Danaa, the Builsa District Director of the Ministry of Food and
Agriculture said there were nine valleys earmarked for rice production in the
District.
He said out of the
number, about six portions had been developed, while the total land area
developed was about 866 hectares, “If you consider the 866 hectares, there are
also people that have privately developed their own land space to cultivate at
the Valleys and if you add that, we are currently doing 1350 hectares.”
Mr Danaa said with
1350 hectares of land out of a potential area of about 4,600 hectares, meant
the District was under cultivating.
“If farmers are
empowered and more land space is put under cultivation, we can really feed a
lot of people in the country.”
GNA
