Gomoa Manso (C/R) Aug. 27, GNA- The Central Regional Co-ordinating Council, has formed a Monitoring and Evaluation Team, to ensure the proper use and maintenance of projects provide with public funds. The team has been empowered to perform their functions effectively and to sanction people who manhandle state property. Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Regional Minister announced this at Gomoa Manso, near Agona Swedru, when she inaugurated a six-unit Teachers’ Quarters for the community.
She expressed concern about the poor culture of maintenance in Ghana, which she said had led to the country’s under-development. The project was sponsored by the Sixth European Union (EU) Micro Project in collaboration with the Gomoa East District Assembly and the Manson community.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe directed the Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies in the region, to ensure that all completed projects, which are lying dormant, be put to immediate use to enable the citizenry to derive the intended benefits of such development ventures. “We will have no justification to ask for projects if we fail to make good use of what has been provided for us,” she explained. The Regional Minister urged traditional rulers, assembly members and the general public to collaborate with the district assembly to help develop the area.
Mr Kwabina Dankyi Darfor, National Programme Manager of the Micro- Project Management Unit of the EU, said Ghana and the European Commission would collaborate under the 10th European Development Fund, which covered 2008 to 2013, to make the decentralization process the leeway to reduce poverty in the rural areas. “The decentralisation process has been identified as the best method of promoting social service delivery and social infrastructure,” he said. Mr Darfor said promoting the direct responsibility of local communities would strengthen social accountability for the use of resources made available to them for poverty reduction. He called for regular maintenance of the project to prolong its lifespan.
Mr Atta-Ullah Danso, District Co-ordinating Director, said the Assembly would collaborate with development partners to promote education in the area since it was the bedrock of the nation. He said brilliant but needy pupils would be supported to pursue education at all levels of their academic pursuit. He appealed to parents to ensure that their children were enrolled and retained in school.
Prince Charles Abbam, Presiding Member of the District Assembly, who chaired the function, commended the EU for facilitating the implementation of the project and gave the assurance that the facility would be well maintained. 27 Aug. 09
