Tamale, Sept 19, GNA - Ghana is to receive 282 million euros out of a total of 22.6 billion euros earmarked for developing countries under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Programme. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its Francophone counterpart (UEMOA) are also to benefit from 4.5 million euros under the programme.

Mr Koen Duchateau, the Second Secretary at the European Commission in Ghana, said this at the first European Union/Government of Ghana Stakeholders' Consultative Workshop in Tamale on Tuesday. The workshop, which would also be held in Kumasi and Accra, was a programming process for the 10th EDF/Country Strategy Paper (CSP) and National Indicative Programme (NIP) for 2008-2013. The 9th EDF/NIP, which started in 2002, would end in December 2007. The forum, among other things, sensitised state and non-state actors about ACP-EU cooperation (Cotonou Partnership Agreement), sought stakeholders' opinions, suggestions, comments and inputs for the 10th EDF, CSP/NIP Programme.

The workshop was also expected to serve as a forum to collectively develop a strategy that would enable Ghana to utilise EDF resources more efficiently and effectively, as well as to boost the country's efforts at attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and a middle-income status by the year 2015.

Mr Duchateau said an amount of three billion euros had so far been disbursed to developing countries since the inception of the programme and the 9th EDF programme was on schedule for the strategic socio-economic development of Ghana.

He said the 10th EDF/CSP/NIP would emphasise on the decentralisation of the funds through the district assemblies to undertake micro-projects such as the schools, roads, clinics and the provision of libraries and sanitation facilities.

Mr. Issah Ketekewu, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, said the overall financial allocation under the 9th programme being implemented in the country amounted to 311 million euros.

This was invested in areas such as rural development, transport infrastructure and micro-economic support and complemented by non-focal sectors including governance and private sector development. Mr Ketekewu said the key objective of the 9th programme was to achieve an accelerated poverty reduction, equitable economic growth and ensure the integration of the Ghanaian economy into the global economy.

Mr Ketekewu said the 10th programme would cover broad focal areas including, transport infrastructure, general budget support, good governance and decentralisation.

He expressed gratitude to the EU for committing up to 50 per cent of its assistance through the country's systems saying: "This amply testifies to the significant progress in the aid harmonisation and alignment agenda with our development partners".

The Deputy Minister said the emphasis was now on changing the structure of the country's economy by diversifying the export base and increasing agricultural productivity and rural incomes. 19 Sept 06