Cape Coast, June 27, GNA - About 1,738 people have been granted GH¢763,680 under the Microfinance And Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) in the Central Region.

The scheme launched in the Region last month is to provide financial assistance to groups and SMEs to enable them contribute positively to the Region's socio-economic development. This was announced by Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister at the Fourth Central Regional Meet the Press series held in Cape Coast on Thursday.

It was attended by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Heads of Departments, and students to brief them on the Government's achievements in the Region since 2001. They included achievements on Security, Tourism Development, Trade and Investment, Education, Health, Agriculture, Infrastructural Development, Electricity, Water, Telecommunications and Roads. On revenue and expenditure of the various assemblies Nana Arthur said by the end of December 2007, the 13 assemblies generated an internal revenue of GH¢1,984,729.21 an increase of 45.4 per cent over 2006 and total expenditure was GH¢2,370,426.39 with a deficit of GH¢385,697.18.

He said in addition, the assemblies received GH¢8,145,341.22 from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and GH¢3,555,676.14 from HIPC Fund in 2007 for development projects.

Nana Arthur expressed appreciation to the assemblies for improving their performance on Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and urged them to improve on their performance in 2008 to supplement the DACF and HIPC funds.

On National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), he said 7,645 people were employed under five modules, health extension workers, waste management and sanitation, youth in agriculture, paid internship and attachment.

Nana Arthur said plans were far advanced to include community police in the modules and stressed that with Government signing an MOU with the management of Agricultural Development Bank the issue of late payment of salaries would soon be over and appealed to the beneficiaries to have patience and work hard.

On the construction of Cape Coast Stadium, he said relocation of overhead cables had been completed and drainage works would begin next week as the contractor was mobilizing to the site and gave the assurance that the actual construction work would commence in August. Nana Arthur assisted by Mr Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister for Information and National Orientation answered 30 questions which ranged from social, political and economics. There was a photo exhibition on development projects in the Region.