The Kassena-Nankan West District in the Upper East Region has organized a district wide forum to sensitize members of the public on government policies and programmes and development activities it has engaged in since 2009.

The programme which would be replicated in various districts and Municipalities in the region is an initiative of the Upper East Regional Minister Mr Mark Woyongo to enable the various Municipal and District Chief Executives interact with their constituents on activities they have embarked on over the years.

The Minister indicated that the wellbeing of people was paramount to the government and said infrastructural development that benefits majority of the citizenry was priority to the Nation Democratic Congress (NDC).

He noted that the implementation programmes under the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) was aimed at expediting the development of the three northing regions, parts of the Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions, and said an amount of $100 million would be presented for its effective execution.

“SADA would be integrated to cover Health, Education, Agriculture, Road infrastructure” he said, adding that the president would be finalizing talks with the United States government during his visit there for the launch and construction of an $18 million millennium village between West Mamprusi and Southern Builsa in May this year.

Government, the Minister noted was committed to improving road networks in the region and so has awarded the construction of the Eastern and Western Corridor Roads for commencement of work.

Mr Woyongo said to reduce poverty in the region there was the need to improve the agricultural sector, noting that about 70 to 80 percent of the people in the region were involved in farming.

He there called on farmers to embark on irrigation farming in the dry seasons, and assured them that the World Food Programme had approved the rehabilitation of 25 dams to encourage irrigation farming in the region.

He stated in addition that about 500,000 Long Lasting Insecticide mosquito nets would be distributed throughout the region in few months to reduce malaria and its related deaths in rural communities.

He said as part of efforts at connecting rural communities to the National Electrification Grid, 500 communities were to benefit from the project in the region, adding that 50 communities in the Kassena Nankana districts would as well be connected to help transform the lives of rural folks.

The Minister appealed to Chiefs, Assembly Members, opinion leaders and the general public to go out in their numbers to register when the biometric registration process starts.

The District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana West, Mr Thomas Addah Dalu in an address noted that development could be possible only in a peaceful environment, and said in improving the country’s democracy, there was the need to embark on political campaigns devoid of insults and abusive languages.

He said government had constructed an ICT centre at Paga valued at GH¢200,000 and funded under the District Assemblies Common Fund to enhance communication.

He indicated that the Local Government Service under the Local Service Delivery and Governance Project (LSD&GP) in 2011 supported the district assembly and the District Works Department to equip the Human Resource Management Unit of the assembly.

The school Feeding Programme, the DCE noted increased from three to 20 beneficiary schools last year with a total of 7,089 pupils being fed.

On infrastructure, he said the Labour Intensive public Works Component of the Ghana Social Opportunity Project (GSOP) was financing the construction of a six-unit classroom block at Anerigu.

Mr Dalu indicated that under the District Wide Assistance Project (DWAP), the assembly between 2009 and 2011 constructed a CHPS compound at Kuliya Nabongo, a Girls’ hostel at the Chiana Senior High School, teacher’s quarters at Paga-Gwaru, Nakong, Kayoro and Nyangolingo, three- unit classrooms, offices, store blocks, toilet facilities and a police station at Zenga all valued at GH¢666,440.31.

He commended the Community Water and Sanitation Agency for providing Paga and Sirigu with pipe borne water under the Small Town Water Supply System, adding that World Vision, a development partner had supported about 25 communities with portable water supply by drilling about 130 boreholes in the district.

He expressed worry about the performance of pupils at last year’s Basic Education Certificate examination (BECE) and said out of 1,589 candidates presented for the exams, only 38.7 per cent passed.

He said the District Assembly and District Directorate of Education have started putting up measures to motivate teachers to give off their best.