General News of Monday, 14 August 2006

Source: GNA

President to Launch National MCA

Accra, Aug. 14, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor would on Wednesday launch the National Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), Ghana version to allow Ghanaians to know what the MCA funds, a total of 547 million would be used for.

A source close to the organisers told the Ghana News Agency that the launch would be held on the Mallam-Tetteh Quarhsie road, near the Abrantie Spot.

He indicated that the road was significant since about 101 million dollars, representing about a sixth of the total sum, would be spent on expanding the road into a six lane one.

"That road is very significant because it links the Central and Western Regions where a number of beneficiary nuclear farmers of vegetables and other produce of export value are located."

Ghana, earlier this month, signed the Millennium Challenge Account Compact document signalling the release of 547 million dollars over five years to help to fight poverty and upgrade agricultural production in the Afram Plains area as well as other strategic areas in the country. The supplementary budget presented to Parliament indicated that 311 million dollars was to be released this year for poverty reduction and to boost agriculture.