Denu, Sept 15, GNA - Over nine billion cedis worth of development projects and social relief programmes, some already off the ground, are to be undertaken by the Ketu District Assembly this year. Mr Justice Cudjoe, the Ketu District Chief Executive, said a 3.0 billion-cedi fund the assembly was sourcing from the reserved portfolio of the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) plus its 6.1 billion cedis 2005 share of the DACF would be used to finance the projects. Addressing the opening session of a two-day ordinary meeting of the assembly on Tuesday at Denu, Mr Cudjoe mentioned at least 40 community projects that would be undertaken.

He expressed regret at the 42.4 percent or 761.2 million cedis revenue collected as at June, against the assembly's annual revenue target of 1.79 billion cedis and said it was not the best. Mr Cudjoe appealed to the assembly to do more in revenue generation else it would not be able to carry out development plans. He announced the take-off of the District Health Insurance Scheme with 741 million cedis seed money from the government.

Mr Cudjoe said 560 million cedis part payment Capitation Grant has been released to public schools in the district for the free basic school scheme and appealed to assemblymen to encourage parents to get their children enrolled.

The assembly endorsed his proposal that the assembly should support two students from the area to the Ghana Medical School who would serve in the district after completion.