The Northern Development Authority (NDA) has commenced a monitoring and evaluation of the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) projects in all constituencies in the five regions of the north.
The IPEP program is in fulfillment of the president’s pledge prior to the 2016 elections to allocate an annual amount of one million dollars per constituency to reduce the infrastructure deficit in the country.
In all, two thousand one hundred and forty nine (2,149) projects are expected to be completed within the stipulated time. Out of the 2, 146 projects, the Northern Region has been allocated 740 projects.
The various projects consist of 660 in Education, 94 in health, 112 in roads infrastructure, electricity 141, water and sanitation 979 and social economic 189. Contracts were however awarded to contractors in March.
On Wednesday march 25, 2020, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for NDA Dr. Alhassan Sulemana Anamzooya cut sod for the implementation and execution of the projects.
Led by its CEO and a board chairman, Francis Tettey, the team visited some sites in the region to interact with contractors and determine if projects are on schedule and will finish on time.
They inspected school buildings, CHPS compounds, roads, rural electrification, maternity wards, and nurses quarters.
The CEO was happy with the work done so far. ‘’These projects are so dear to the heart of the president and he expects every project to be done according to plan, so far I can say 80 percent of the work has been done’’.
He said any contractor who fails to complete his project will not be spared. Meanwhile the team earlier paid a curtesy call on the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Sa-eed at his office in Tamale.
The Regional Minister applauded NDA and the board for implementing the projects in the regions. ‘’We are also happy as a government to be able to achieve one of the key electioneering promise the president gave to our people in this part of our country.”
He has however assured the NDA of the Regional Coordination Council’s support in their activities. The chiefs and community members while commending the President for the projects were also grateful to NDA.
The IPEP project is a new government flagship programme and development approach which aims at providing basic socio-economic infrastructure at the constituency level.
It also focuses on directing capital expenditure towards constituency level infrastructure and economic development priorities with particular emphasis on rural and deprived communities.
It is designed to help accelerate the eradication of poverty and address the various forms of inequalities existing in the country.
Source:Ghana/Tamale/zaaradio.com/99.3fm/ LILIAN WALTER