Mr James Gunu, the Akatsi North District Chief Executive, has projected that the District would be financially self-reliant by the year 2020.

He said the District had built a resilient local economy and would not be dependent on central government by the next four years.

Mr Gunu was addressing a durbar at Ave-Dakpa to mark the Fourth Anniversary of the creation of the District.

The Akatsi North District was carved out of the former Akatsi District under the Legislative Instrument (LI) 2161 in March, 2012; and inaugurated on June 28, the same year.

Mr Gunu said in the past four years, the District had transformed its challenges into opportunities through the expansion of infrastructure and transparent accountable local governance.

He said that achievement paved way for local industrialisation and agribusiness, which would lead to job and wealth creation by 2020.

Mr Gunu said already, the District was producing tomato paste, palm oil and pineapple juice, under the Rural Enterprise Programme and he was confident of a self-sufficient Akatsi North District soon.

For instance, he said, the District through its own resources initiated a School Feeding Programme in 10 schools to complement that of the Central Government in 12 schools.

Mr Gunu said the establishment of a Local Economy Development Fund to assist petty traders with soft loans; a District Fertiliser Subsidy Programme for farmers; and investment in tourism and vocational training were a few initiatives turning the fortunes of the District around.

He said the District had completed more than 90 per cent of 200 infrastructural projects in line with its “triple jump” development strategy and said, “We are now on transformational agenda.”

The Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, in a speech read on his behalf, described Akatsi North as the fastest growing new district in the country and commended the DCE and the Assembly for the feat.

He said the District had an enviable record in infrastructure development, strengthening decentralisation and in transparent accountable local governance.

The Vice-President reiterated the Government’s commitment to the District and said the Ave-Dakpa to Akatsi road and some other roads would be tarred.

He said 22 more villages in the District would also be connected to the national grid soon.

Madam Helen Adjoa Ntoso, the Volta Regional Minister, in a speech read on her behalf, assured people in the District that all promises made by the government would be fulfilled.

A six-unit semi-detached staff bungalow, a three-bedroom bungalow for the District Coordinating Director, a Fire Tender and Station were inaugurated to mark the anniversary.

The theme for anniversary, “Akatsi North District-Four years of Transformation in the context of Decentralisation and Innovative Leadership”, was to unite the people for accelerated development and market tourism potentials of the District, among others.

The District came into the limelight with initiatives such as a “ a District Level Public Account Forum, a Register for People with Disability for support, an award scheme for Assembly

Members and staff, suggestion boxes at vantage points in the District and the formation of District Girl-Child Clubs.”

Other programmes include the construction of affordable houses using clay and educational standards improvement scheme.