Kpando, Sept 03, GNA - A total of 173 development projects worth over 16.7 billion cedis have been undertaken by the Volta River Authority (VRA) Resettlement Trust Fund since 1997, Mr Johannes Nana Afful, Chief Accountant of the Fund, told the GNA in an interview.

The 52 towns have benefited from health, education, water and sanitation projects, roads as well as electrification schemes in the Volta, Eastern, Northern and Brong Ahafo regions.

The Fund was established in 1996 to tackle the infrastructure and socio-economic deficiencies of the resettlement in the aftermath of the construction of the Akosombo hydroelectric dam about 40 years ago.

He said 43 out of the 52 communities have been connected to the national grid while five other communities were provided with solar panels.

Over 100 communities outside the resettlement classification had also benefited from the extension of power by virtue of running the grid through their towns.

Nana Afful said plans are afoot to empower the communities with income generating ventures including poultry, pig rearing and batik-tie-dye and urged the communities to embrace the scheme when it takes-off. He said the Fund shares the concern and sensitivity of issues confronting the resettlement communities pledging that plans were being considered to correct the development imbalances. 03 Sept 04