Dunkwa-On-Offin (C/R), April 23, GNA - A group of women in Dunkwa who applied for the poverty reduction loans last year have expressed concern about the delay in securing the loan.

Madam Hannah Enim, spokes person for the women, said before the 2004 elections, women in the area paid 40,000 cedis and provided two passport size photographs for their applications to be processed for a loan of 500,000 cedis.

Madam Enim, who said this at the People's Assembly held at Dunkwa on Friday, said efforts to either get the loan or their 40,000 cedis back had proved futile and urged Mr Isaac Edumadze, the Central Regional Minister, to intervene to enable them get the loans. High transport fares, the implementation of NHIS, frequent power cuts, divesture of Dunkwa Continental Goldfield and salaries dominated questions at the forum.

The participants expressed concern about the way more than 500 bungalows and other structures belonging to Dunkwa Continental Goldfields were lying idle with some of the collapsing. They said since the company was sold out no meaningful development has taken place and urged the government to take a second look at the situation and if possible terminate the contract to stop the company from further deterioration.

The participants were also not happy with the failure of the Ashanti Goldfield Company to reclaim the pit it dug at the Ayamfuri area, resulting in the death of people.

Mr Edumadze assured them that everything would be done to address their concerns as soon as possible and urged them to exercise patience. He said Dunkwa was very dear to President John Agyekum Kufuor and enumerated the numerous development projects that have been executed within four years.

Mr Kobina Hammond, the Deputy Minister of Energy, said the government was sourcing a foreign loan of 320 million dollars to help improve electricity supply in the country. He said the money would be used to purchase new transformers, transmitters and under ground cables to refurbish some of the sub-stations in the country.

Mr Richard Anane Adabo, the acting District Chief Executive, said the government, through the HPIC, Social Investment Fund and the Common Fund provided the assembly with projects valued at more than 30 billion cedis within four years.

He said about 31 new schools, 21 places of convenience, 16 boreholes and six clinics have provided. Mr Adabo said a cocoa processing factory would soon be established.

Touching on the loan for women, he said it was a gradual process and gave the assurance that before the end of the year women in Dunkwa would also get their loans.