The Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East Region under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Expansion programme, disbursed GH?357,666.00 to 1,803 beneficiaries in 835 households this year.

Mr Alexis Ayamdor Adugdaa, District Chief Executive (DCE) made this known during meet the press at Bongo.

He said 21 new communities have been added to the list of LEAP beneficiary communities since the beginning of 2014, making it up to 1,120 households being enrolled onto the programme in the area.

Mr Adugdaa said the district is among 10 districts which have been selected to implement the 1000 programme which is a modified part of the LEAP programme targeting pregnant women and infants with the aim of improving the lives and nutrition of young children who come from poor households.

“Under this, a total of 41 communities have been selected and very soon work will begin in these communities with a target of 664 beneficiaries who will be supported with cash grants to take care of their babies and curb stagnation and stunting,” he said.

He said the assembly is implementing a number of social intervention programmes and mentioned the Ghana Social Opportunity Project (GSOP) which started in 2011 as one.

The GSOP had employed about 3,642 people under its various modules.

He indicated that out of the number, 2,402 are females and 878 males who are poor and excluded in the society.

The DCE said rehabilitation of Feo-Nabisi dam, Adaboya dam, Gambrongo dam, Balungu-Sambolgo 2.80km feeder road are among the benefits of the GSOP.

Others include rehabilitation of Balungu-Gorogo 1.80km feeder roads, Yorigo-Apuwongo feeder road, Dua-Yikene Apuwongo feeder road and the cultivation of mango plantations at Adaboya, Atanseka, Gorigo, Balungu, Bogrigo, Dua and Soe-Yidongo.

Mr Adugdaa stated that the assembly formed an NGOs consortium and collaborated with World Food Programme, Afrikids Ghana, CAMFED, and Association of Church Based Development Projects to implement a lot of projects and programmes which had contributed to the well being of the people in the area.

He said under the Self Help Electrification Project, work is almost completed in communities like Apuwongo and Yekine while works are at advanced stage at Zorkor- Kodorigo, Lungu, Boko and Dua communities.