Mr Anthony Abayifa Karbo, Member of Parliament of the Lawra Constituency, has said the free education policy for basic schools is set to begin in September.

He said the Ministry of Education has constituted a team to address all challenges and difficulties associated with the implementation of the programme to make it operational this academic year.

Mr Karbo said this during the annual New Patriotic Party Lawra Constituency Delegates conference held in Lawra on Saturday.

Similarly, he said, teachers and nurses’ allowances would be restored and made operational in the coming academic year.

Mr Karbo, who is also a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Roads and Highways, said the Northern Development Authority which has been given an allocation 100 million dollars would greatly assist in helping to meet the development needs of the people.

He called for active participation and contributions from community members in the implementation of the various projects.

“These projects, if successfully implemented, would help promote agricultural production and reduce the seasonal migration of the youth from the north to cities and urban centres”, he said.

Talking about the “Planting for Food and Jobs”, programme, Mr Karbo urged people in the region to take advantage of it to ensure food security and increased incomes.

He appealed to security agencies, farmers groups and community members to be vigilant and ensure that fertilizer, seeds, insecticides and other farm inputs meant for the programme were not smuggled to neighbouring countries.

Mr Karbo said major roads and some rivers in the area would be worked on while the provision of rural electricity and potable water would also be improved to help enhance the socio-economic advancement of the people.

Alhaji Abubakar Abdul-Rahman, Upper West Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said there is the need for the party to consider instituting monthly stipends for its regional and constituency executives.

He said the executives are doing sacrificial jobs and the time has come for the Party to look into the constraints and challenges many of them were facing and provide some salaries to cushion their difficulties.

This suggestion, he said, if considered would help to motivate our executives to work harder to keep the party grassroots structures functioning properly.

Alhaji Abdul-Rahman said the NPP was gunning to win nine parliamentary seats in the region come 2020 general elections and urged party supporters to remain united.

Mr Martin Domotiere Bomba-Ire, Lawra District Chief Executive, said the district under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration, would be provided with the needed infrastructure development and appealed to the public to support the efforts of the Party.