Takoradi, March 31, GNA - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will spend about 25 million dollars in the Western Region over the next four years.

USAID hopes to improve capacity building in democracy and governance, economy, health, education and agriculture, Mr David Atteberry, Deputy Mission Director of the USAID-Ghana said this known when he led a four-member team to call on the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo.

The team was on a fact finding mission to explore areas to provide support, especially with the oil and gas exploration in the region. Mr Atteberry said the enabling environment in the country had encouraged USAID to continue expanding its assistance to the nation, recalling that in 2009 Ghana enjoyed approximately 147 million dollars assistance from the USAID representing 100 percent increase over 2008.

He said "with a vision to empower Ghanaians through partnership to build a

prosperous nation, the USAID is supporting Ghana to strengthen local governance,

expand trade opportunities, improve basic health care, to enhance access to and

completion of quality basic education as well as increase food security to benefit all

Ghanaians". In the area of democracy and governance in the region, the USAID has made an

estimated budget of nine million dollars to focus on building the capacity of local

government to plan, budget, and implement activities effectively to enable them to

deliver improved services to the their citizens. He said to ensure economic growth USAID is investing about 10 million dollars to

help address depletion of fish stock along the western coast to promote community

participation in managing and conserving coastal resources. It also aims at increasing social and economic benefits to over 150 fishing

communities, he said, adding "the programme also aims at attracting petroleum

industry investment to create alternative livelihood besides fishing which conflicts

with drilling operations". In health, its intervention emphasizes malaria control and prevention, family

planning, improving access to quality and use of maternal and child care as well as

education on HIV/AIDS. The project would support communities in the region to prepare for and maximize

benefits with their manageable interest and reduce risks associated with oil, gas and

other extractive industries. Mr Atteberry said to enhance quality education in the region, USAID plans to build

the capacity of the districts to manage the schools and mentioned Sefwi-Wiawso,

Amenfi East, Amenfi West, Aowin-Suaman, Bia, Juaboso, Sefwi Akontomra and

Mpohor-Wassa East as districts that would serve as pilot districts for the project. Nationwide, Mr Atteberry said, USAID is partnering MTN to connect all Senior High

Schools in the country to the internet to enhance the information technology among

students while it intends building 250 schools throughout the country. The Regional Minister, Mr Aidoo, lauded the move by the USAID to focus its

developmental activities in the region and expressed regret that despite the region's

rich natural resources it had been neglected over the years.