Politics of Thursday, 19 August 2004

Source: GNA

Beneficiary communities of HIPC projects asked to return NPP to power

Koforidua, Aug. 19, GNA- The Minister of Manpower, Development and Employment, Mr Yaw Barimah, has called on the people in New Juaben Municipality and other communities who benefited from the HIPC funded projects to return the NPP to power.

He said the government must be commended for adopting the HIPC Initiative, which many others spoke against.

Mr Barimah who is also the MP for New Juaben South, was speaking at the inauguration of a Health Centre at Densuano, a suburb of Koforidua, built by the Assembly at the cost of over 253 million cedis from HIPC funds on Wednesday.

He donated eight beds to the facility.

Mr Barimah announced that he was seeking financial assistance from the European Union (EU) to provide nurses' quarters for personnel who would man the centre.

The New Juaben Municpal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng who cut the tape to inaugurate the facility announced that it was the tenth centre to be provided in the municipality, as part of government programme to bring health facilities closer to the people.

He mentioned the extension of pipe-borne water supply and the completion of a six-classroom block at a cost of over 160 million cedis for the local community and asked the people to pay their property and other rates to enable them to benefit more projects.

Nana Adjei Boateng enumerated a number of HIPC benefits on education, sanitation and health facilities in the Municipality and assured the people more projects would be provided with a release of five billion cedis by the government.

The Municipal Director of Health Services, Dr Benjamin Marfo, appealed for accommodation for those who would be doing a 24-hour service at the centre.

Later MCE inaugurated the Anlo Town Zonal Council offices constructed at a cost of 160.4 million cedis.

Chairman of the 15-member Council, Mr Kobla Jonathan Tornyeava, commended the Assembly for its interest in the council's deliberations. He pledged that the Council would work hard to bring development to the area.