Mr Ahmed Abukari Iddrisu, District Chief Executive for Zabzugu in the Northern Region has said the district is ready for the take-off of the government’s One District, One Factory policy to amongst others bring jobs to the people.

The DCE who was interacting with the media at Zabzugu to share his views on the 2018 budget statement presented to Parliament on November 15, this year.

Mr Ahmed said the district had held enough consultations with stakeholders at the district to collate their views on the type of factory to be established in the area adding various cash crops including; mango, cashew, and shea nuts were identified as raw materials to feed the factory.

He said the One District, One Factory policy was in line with the assembly’s Medium Term Development Plan, termed District Centre for Agriculture, Commerce and Technology to boost production and incomes of people in the area.

He said 1,220 farmers, who expressed interest and readiness in cultivating the various cash crops to feed the factory, had been registered in the district adding “So in terms of preparation to ensure that the fund is released purposely for the policy, we are more than prepared to use the fund judiciously to expand the local economy.’’

Mr Ahmed was hopeful that as stated in the budget statement, electricity tariffs would be reduced for small businesses as well as individual domestic consumers to reduce the financial burden on them.

Some residents of the district, who spoke to the GNA on the 2018 budget statement, commended government for the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy and the absorption of the registration fees of candidates of the Basic Education Certificate

Examinations starting from next year.

Some of the residents were also of the view that if government was able to curb corruption and block all loopholes in the public sector, there would be enough money to fund the Free SHS rather than the establishment of the Voluntary Fund.