Kongo(UER), Jan. 29, GNA - Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly has since its inauguration past two years ago spent 172.2 million cedis to sponsor 132 students.

They included, 47 trainee teachers, 45 trainee nurses and 40 students in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions.

Mr Sebastian T. Bisnab, Talensi-Nabdam District Chief Executive, announced this when addressing the Jubilee People's Assembly in the district at Kongo in the Upper East Region at the weekend. "As a new district, it is our priority to scale up the development of the requisite human resource to be able to reduce poverty and attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDAs)," he said. Mr Bisnab said the assembly had identified provision of infrastructure as an essential part of effective teaching and learning and would devote much attention to it.

He said eight classroom blocks and eight KVIP places of convenience had been constructed in seven communities, the Kongo JSS had been rehabilitated and electricity extended to the District Directorate of Education.

Mr Bisnab noted with concern that the assembly performed poorly in revenue mobilisation last year, realizing 109.5 million cedis out of a target of 241.5 million cedis, representing a 54.7 per cent shortfall. He pointed out that the poor revenue generation could mar the development plans of the assembly and was optimistic that when the unit committees and councils start operating fully the revenue base of the assembly would improve.

On environment, Mr Bisnab condemned the effects of surface mining in the area that was fast degrading farmlands and destroying the vegetation.

He appealed to the elders and land owners to help control the mining activities to preserve the land for future generations. Mr Bisnab called on the people to be law abiding to ensure accelerated development in the district.

Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, Member of Parliament for Builsa North asked mothers to ensure that their daughters attend school. She advised the women to work hard to generate income and not depend solely on their husbands for their needs.