Kpando, June 1, GNA - Mr. Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister, on Tuesday warned that he would not hesitate to sanction non-performing contractors on various projects in the Region. He said contractors who failed to meet required standards would have their projects re-awarded.

Mr Dzamesi announced that a task force was assessing and taking inventory of development projects in the Region and that lazy and incompetent ones would be disciplined and blacklisted. The Regional Minister gave the warning at a durbar of chiefs held in his honour at Vakpo where he was installed as "Ngoyifia I" (Development chief of Vakpo).

He bemoaned the lackadaisical attitude to work by some contractors in the region, which had necessitated the payment of large sums of money back to government chest for inactivity.

"I will not tolerate this attitude while the masses wallow in poverty, deprivation and underdevelopment", he stated. Mr Dzamesi appealed to chiefs and opinion leaders to join the fray in creating awareness in the establishment of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which he said was a more humane and affordable means of funding health care compared to the hostile cash and carry system.

He cautioned detractors of the scheme to be wary of their pranks as the "new health scheme does not regard political colour, slogan or affiliation" and recounted how the scheme succeeded in Israel. Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, re-assured the people of government's commitment in improving on the status and welfare of women to enable them to contribute their quota fully to development.

She announced that 280 women from each of the 138 districts were to benefit from a 280 million cedis micro financing credit scheme towards the improvement of the socio-economic status of women. Hajia Mahama entreated women to access the rural enterprise development fund for soft loans to procure equipment to cultivate the land.

She urged the people to be wary of the HIV/AIDS pandemic while calling for the renewal of communal love for children and women. Togbega Gbogbolulu V, Paramount Chief of Vakpo Traditional Area, urged the government to establish irrigation schemes in the area to boost all year round cultivation of vegetables.

He also appealed to the authorities to increase access to GETFUND in the area to facilitate work on the Vakpo Secondary School, the Vakpo Secondary Technical School and rejuvenate the defunct animal husbandry, improve access to potable water and the rehabilitate roads in the town.