Kumasi, June 7, GNA - A total of three million dollars out of the five million-dollar grant by the World Bank under the Promoting Partnerships with Traditional Authorities Project (PPTAP) has so far been disbursed.

This represents about 76 per cent of the Asanteman Council's portion of the total grant.

Mr Johnson Osei-Hwedieh, Project Manager, announced this when he gave a status report on the PPTAP at a two-day workshop on effective participation of traditional councils in sustainable development for traditional authorities from the Ashanti Region in Kumasi on Tuesday. The project, which came into being in 2003, comprises four components, education, health, cultural heritage preservation and capacity building.

Mr Osei-Hwedieh bemoaned the difficulties management of the project were encountering such as the unwillingness of district assemblies to make available their contributions of 10 per cent as counterpart funding.

He said the socio-economic agenda of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) could be amply achieved with the active participation of traditional authorities, which he said were very crucial in also preserving the nation's cultural heritage. Mr Osei-Hwedieh charged traditional authorities to make the best use of opportunities offered them under the project to enhance the development of their areas.

Dasebre Osei Bonsu, Mamponghene, who chaired the workshop, urged his colleagues to eschew arrogance and be open to their subjects to ensure effective participation in the development of their areas.