Ten-member regional teams for the Implementation of the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions have been inaugurated in Tamale, to help curb the high poverty rate in the Savannah ecological zone.

The teams are to aid in the restructuring of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) into the Northern Development Authority (NDA) to uplift people from poverty and also minimize inequality among socio-economic groups in the three regions.

The IPEP is an innovative approach to enable government direct capital expenditure towards constituency level specific infrastructure and economic development priorities to combat poverty through industrialisation and job creation.

Under the IPEP, government would focus on infrastructural development and institute a number of inter-connected programme initiatives at the grass root level to help eradicate poverty and transform the economy.

Inaugurating the teams, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for the Bunkprugu Constituency, Mr. Solomon Boar, reiterated government's commitment to ensuring even development across the country.

He stressed that the members are to ensure the programme brings about development of agriculture and industries in order to eradicate poverty in northern Ghana.

He urged the members to be eschew tribalism and focus on the purpose for which they have been brought together.

The Minister of Special Development Initiatives and Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East Constituency, Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson, also urged the team to attach every seriousness to their mandate.

According to her, the multifaceted nature of development challenges, coupled with the fast-changing world, demands cutting edge solutions that can positively impact the lives of the people in the country.

She assured that the members would be absolved into the NDA after the transformation period to contribute their quota to the development of the zone.

She advised the members to bring to bear their skills, knowledge and expertise in the implementation of the programme, as well as exhibit high level of commitment, team spirit, reliability and diligence.

The Technical and Economic Advisor to the Vice President, Dr. Mutaka Alolo, said the IPEP will help improve agriculture, infrastructure and small business development in the regions.

It will also help address the perennial water shortage, rehabilitate broken bridges as well improve the infrastructure of schools in the country, he added.

Under IPEP, he said government would allocate US$275million to the development of basic infrastructure in 275 constituencies, as a means of poverty alleviation.

He stressed that the programme would focus on agriculture, agribusiness and slum upgrading, as well as other government flagship programmes like the "One District, One Factory," the "One Village, One Dam" and "One District, one Warehouse."

The Upper West Regional Minister, Sulemana Alhassan, and the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Rockson Bukari, advised the members of the teams to work hard to ensure the outmost success of the programme.