Mafi-Dedukope (V/R), March 8, GNA-Four communities in the Mafi-Dedukope in the Volta Region, have expressed their full support for some important initiatives made by the Government to improve the health and educational status of Ghanaians.

The initiatives are, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), the Capitation Grant (CG), and the School Feeding Programme (SFP).

These were contained in a speech read by Mr. David Agornyrah, the Assemblyman responsible for the four communities, Mafi-Dedukope, Kpeyibor, Dudevi, and Lutta all in the North-Tongu District, at their annual Dudzradoza festival at Mafi-Dedukope.

Mr. Agornyrah said that the NHIS policy had since its establishment enabled people in the area to have access to affordable and quality healthcare, while the Youth Employment Programme had also provided jobs for a number of unemployed youth in the area. On the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme, Mr Agornyrah said the two educational schemes had increased school enrolment in the area tremendously.

He praised Chiefs in the four communities for their active involvement in communal activities geared towards the implementation of government policies and programmes, and appealed to them to continue in the same spirit for their subjects to emulate. Mr. Agornyrah however, charged both resident and non-resident citizens of the four communities to show greater interest in the initiation and implementation of more self-help projects to attract Government intervention.

Mr. James Cudjoe Agornyrah, National Executive member of Mafi-Dedukope Citizens Association (MDCA), asked the people to come out with suggestions and ideas for the drawing up of a strategic educational, sanitation, health, water, and electricity development plan to ensure full realization of their socio-economic goals. He appealed to the North Tongu District Assembly, the MP for the area and the Volta Regional Minister to mobilise the people in the area to pay their five percent component fund towards the provision of good drinking water to people in and around Mafi-Dedukope by the Ghana Water Company.

Replying to their requests, Mr. Asem Mensah, District Chief Executive for the area, promised to send excavators to dredge the dams in the area to resolve some of their acute water problems which had led to the death of over 300 cattles, sheep and goats in the area since the current dry season started.

Mr. Mensah said he would personally do all that he could to supply residents in the area with potable water which is also the panacea for healthy life and economic progress. 08 March 07