Mankessim (C/R), Aug 10, GNA - Some communities being sponsored by Plan Ghana are to benefit from projects and services amounting to GH¢270,378 in Mankessim Programme area in 2008/2009 financial year. Mr Jacob Turkson, outgoing Area Manager of Plan Ghana, said this during a review of the operations of the organisation for 2007/2008. Plan Ghana, a humanitarian and Child-Centred community development organisation, operates in 54 communities in the Mfantseman Municipality and the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese and Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Districts forming the Mankessim Programme Area.

Mr Turkson, who has been appointed to head the newly created Southern Sector of the organisation which comprises Mankessim, Bawjiase and Asesewa programmes, said GH¢147,299 of the budget would go into the delivery of quality education and GH¢64,840 for health. About GH¢47,432 would be spent on activities to promote the rights of the child and GH¢20,122 for sponsorships. An amount of GH¢23,000 has been earmarked for Water and Sanitation while GH¢1,000 would be spent on micro-credit to enhance livelihood and GH¢68,784 on administrative expenses.

Mr Turkson said the organisation was worried about the poor dividend being yielded by the interventions it had put into education. These include support for the Ghana Education Service in Improvement in School Supervision, organising refresher courses, provision of prizes for the Best Teacher Awards Scholarship Scheme for students and provision of education infrastructure.

He mentioned delays in project implementation, ensuring full participation of children in all phases of projects in their communities, building community ownership of facilities provided by the Plan Ghana, motivation of the large number of volunteers working with the organisation and management culture to ensure sustainability as some of the challenges facing it. "Plan Ghana is after quality but not only quality", Mr Turkson said. 10 Aug 08