Bekwai (Ash), Nov 25, GNA - Sixteen billion cedis of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) has been spent on 106 projects in the Ashanti Region since 2002, under the basic infrastructure and economic services component of the scheme.

The projects involved the promotion of income generating activities, construction of culverts, drains, clinics, schools and teachers' quarters.

Mr Forster Kwame Boateng, Ashanti Regional Officer of SIF, said these at a five-day Poverty Profiling and Pro-Poor Programming workshop at Bekwai in the Amansie East District on Monday.

The programme was organised by the SIF in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the German Technical Co-operation and the National Development Planning Commission.

Nineteen planning officers, town and country planning officers and district co-ordinating directors from Assin, Upper Denkyira, Adansi East and West, Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma and Amansie East districts were attending the workshop.

It was aimed at training the participants in poverty profiling and pro-poor programming, poverty profile preparation and mapping out poverty stricken communities.

Other areas for consideration were, the implementation and management of the pro-poor programme through the district assemblies as the basis of development decision and for attracting funds for poverty alleviation.

Mr Boateng said five rural banks in the region; the Bosomtwe, Atwima-Kwanwoma, Amansie West, Kwamanman and Atwima-Nwabiagya, have been identified for support under the Fund's micro-credit programme.

He also said the SIF was being operated in 11 district assemblies in the region and that the districts had made remarkable achievements in the provision of basic infrastructure and economic activities.

Mr Boateng, however, called on the assemblies to co-operate with each other to ensure the success of the programme in the region.

Mr Richard Aboagye, Amansie East District Chief Executive, said the district assemblies had received funding for many poverty-focused programmes.

He said: ''Some 18 percent of Ghanaians are still poor, 70 percent of the rural population do not have access to potable water while only 16 percent have access to decent sanitary facilities.''