Hohoe, Dec. 18, GNA - All the 10-billion cedi 111 European Union funded projects in the Volta Region were jointly commissioned at a ceremony at Hohoe on Wednesday.

The projects form part of the second phase of the fifth micro-project of the European Union, which was launched in March, 2000, in Ho.

They include 60 educational facilities, 27 water and sanitation amenities, 16 health facilities and nine markets all located at various parts of the region.

Commissioning the projects, Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister said the Micro Projects Programme was a collaborative effort between the government of Ghana and the European Union with a focus on promoting development strategy towards poverty reduction.

He said within the past three and half years, 239 projects costing 20 billion cedis had been provided in the region under the programme. These included 140 school projects, 14 markets, 42 sanitation facilities, 13 boreholes and 30 health facilities.

Mr Owusu-Yeboa thanked the EU for its generosity, the Ministry of Finance for its support, the Micro Project Management Unit (MPMU) for the efficient management of activities, the District Assemblies and the beneficiary communities for coordinating and embracing the programme. The Regional Minister announced that phase three of the programme would begin next month under which 108 more projects estimated at 10 billion cedis would be constructed in the region.

Mr Stefan Frowein, EU Ambassador to Ghana, said since the programme started in Ghana in 1990, 1,819 community-based projects in six regions in the country had been completed at a total cost of 23.1 million Euro. The current programme, which is the fifth, started in 2000 with an overall budget of 270 billion cedis in 56 out of the 110 districts of the country.

These included all districts in Central, Volta, Northern, Upper West and Eastern regions and eight districts in Ashanti.

Mr Frowein said presently, the total number of projects funded by the Union stood at 3,100 and would be increased to 3,800 by the end of 2004. Mrs Helen Allotey, National Authorising Officer of the Ministry of Finance also extended the government's gratitude to the EU for its assistance to the nation, especially the rural folks, which had gone a long way to provide better socio-economic infrastructure services. She said the programme had achieved a significant impact on the communities.

Dr Kwaku Osafo, the Micro Projects Programme Manager, said the continuous participation of any district would depend on the attitude and commitment of beneficiary communities and the district assemblies. In a welcome address, Mr James Komla Dogbe, Hohoe District Chief Executive (DCE)said his district benefited from 12 of the projects. He called on the beneficiary communities to observe the culture of maintenance to extend the life span of the projects.