Tamale, Jan. 31, GNA - Tamale Metropolitan Assembly says it created about 3,300 jobs in 2009 under its infrastructural development project. These jobs according to Alhaji Abudulai Haruna Friday, the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) occurred in Metro Works Unit, Metro Roads Unit, Metro Transport Unit, Sanitation (Zoomlion) and Support for Agriculture programme.

Alhaji Friday said this at the weekend during an awards night organized to honour distinguished individuals and institutions for their invaluable contributions to the development of the metropolis. In terms of revenue performance, he said the Assembly generated a total of GH¢606,776.64 which enabled it to defray greater part of its inherited debt from the previous administration. He said of the revenue, GH¢2,080,540.69 was committed to projects execution in the areas of education, sanitation, health, local government and roads.

Alhaji Friday said through the Bilchinsi Peace Advisory Council, Metro Task Force and Community Task Force, peace and security in the area was restored by picking early warning signals of violence and conflicts and managing them. He said the Assembly had also developed Ghana-Tamale Textile project, which aims at utilizing about 60 per cent of cotton produced in the region.

The MCE said under the government's Block Farm Programme, the Metropolitan Agriculture Development Unit acquired 1,365 acres of land in nine communities with 1,023 farmers benefiting from the package, which include ploughing, seed weedicide and fertilizer. The repayment would be done in cash.

Alhaji Friday said the Assembly was collaborating with the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) to provide pipe-born water to nine peri-urban communities. Rain water harvesting tanks are also to be provided to some communities in collaboration with New Energy. Forty-five institutions and individuals were honoured with motorbikes, bicycles, mobile phones, wellington boots and certificates. 31 Jan. 10