Bongo (U/E), Jan. 21, GNA- The Bongo District Assembly disbursed about one billion cedis to a number of groups as part of its strategy to reduce poverty and improve upon the living conditions of the people. Among the beneficiaries were 22 farmer groups who received a total of about 100 million cedis last year, to enable them to undertake income-generating ventures in agriculture.

Similarly, nine credit groups were loaned about 71 million cedis to expand their businesses, while about 370 million cedis from the Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) was disbursed in loans to some 913 individuals. The Bongo District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Clement Apikiya, said at the People's Assembly on Tuesday that the assembly organised training workshops to build the capacities of farmers in the area, while other beneficiaries of the assembly's loans were taken through refresher course on business management and other models that can facilitate the payment of the loans.

He said during the year under review, the assembly focused extensively on improving education in the district and had to allocate a greater proportion of its common fund towards that sector, adding that with the support of some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as World Vision International, the Catholic Relief Services, the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), education in the district had improved tremendously.

"I am proud to say that no pupil in the district sits on the floor to receive tuition, neither is there any school that holds classes under trees," Mr Apikiya added.

He stated: "Our mission is to improve upon the lives of our people through the creation of an enabling environment, harnessing of our resources, proper co-ordination and integration of activities in the district within the framework of national policy."

The DCE said the Assembly had taken keen interest in development projects with special attention to agriculture, health and infrastructure, adding that five dams in the area had been rehabilitated to encourage the youth in the area to go into dry-season farming. He said a clinic had been renovated and expanded and electricity extended to the place at the cost of 44 million cedis.

The Assembly also constructed a 68 million-cedi nurses' quarters with funds from the European Union (EU) under its micro-projects programme.

He added that an 86 million-cedis quarters also under the same project is under construction at Vea.

Mr Apikiya said the district was preparing to begin the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme as one of the 45 selected districts to pilot the scheme, adding that an advertisement to employ managers of the scheme had begun, while accommodation facilities to house the scheme and staff, was also near completion.

He said the area could now boast as one of the best districts in the region with the finest road network, adding that a major achievement of the NPP administration is the award of contract for the tarring of a 15-kilometre Bongo-Bolgatanga road which had never seen tarring for many years.