Manso-Bonsaso (Ash), Jan 20, GNA - Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General on the Millennium Development Goal, on Wednesday launched Ghana's Millennium Village at Bonsaso in the Amansie West district of Ashanti. The millennium village project was designed to empower African villages to lift themselves out of poverty through various interventions within five years.

Ghana is among 10 countries benefiting from the project under eight set goals, which include the eradication of extreme poverty, education, gender equality and employment of women and improvement in maternal health.

The others are reduction of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and the development of global partnership for development.

Prof Sachs asked the people to team up and develop the village in the areas of health, education, roads and telecommunication. Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, and Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the UN for selecting Ghana as one of the countries to benefit from the project. She urged the people of Bonsaso to show total commitment to the project to ensure its success.

Mr Ben Kwakye-Adeefe, Amansie West District Chief Executive, said the selection of the millennium village in his district was as a result of the hard work of the district assembly.

He said for instance that the district had successfully completed the implementation of all government policies and programmes at the local level.

Mr Kwakye-Adeefe said Bonsaso was selected because it was one of the most deprived communities in the Watereso Area Council and their commitment to self-help activities.

He said nine other communities in the area namely, Yaw-Kasakrom, Kwadwo-Nsiahkrom, Groso, Aboaboso, Nyamebekyere, Manukrom, Dunwura, Akyekyerekrom and Brechaikrom will also benefit from the packages included in the project.