Kpassa (V/R), May 4, GNA - The Nkwanta North District is to undertake development projects and programmes estimated at over GHc 120,000, Mr Paul Levin Gyato, the District Chief Executive, has said. He told an assembly sitting that the projects would be financed from its share of the Common Fund and other interventions. He said the projects included educational projects, police barracks, a magistrate's court, residential accommodations and the Lakpor feeder road.

Mr Gyato said GHC 12,333 internally generated Fund (IGF) was realized in the first quarter of 2010 that constituted 88 percent of GHC 14,010 collected within the same period last year. He said it recorded GHC 74,092 as IGF in 2009 compared to GHC 27,921 it made from March to December 2008 when the district was inaugurated.

Mr Gyato said the micro credit and small loans scheme (MASLOC) in the district had suffered a 90 percent default rate totalling GHC 280,000.

He said a nationwide retrieval exercise would begin soon as part of strategies to recoup the loans that had been repackaged and appealed to assembly members to educate their electorate on MASLOC. Mr Gyato said 300 youths would benefit from a forestation programme with land banks secured at Damanko, Sibi, Bonakye and Abrunyanya. He called on the youth to take advantage of this and other government social and economic interventions. Mr Gyato said the eastern boundary issue with the parent Nkwanta South District is yet to be resolved and appealed to the authorities to expedite action. He said two private sector practitioners are exploring avenues in affordable housing schemes for workers and bamboo craft skill and processing.