Monday, August 31, 2009

PROMOTION OF GUINEA FOWL REARING IN WEST GONJA


REPORT BY ALHASSAN MESUNA

The West Gonja District Assembly in collaboration with UNDP/Africa 2000 Network is implementing Sustainable Rural Livelihood Projects in both crop and non-crop agricultural production in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region.

Under the project organised farmer groups are suported to under take guinea fowl rearing, dry season farming, small ruminant rearing groundnut and sheabuter processing. The project had supported farmers with equipment and inputs to produce as so as to promote food security.

Addressing some of the beneficiary farmers after a monitoring visit, the DCE for West Gonja District Assembly, Hon. Adam Mutawakilu noted that the Assembly has a special interest in guinea fowl production because of the potential that the district has in terms of weather, vegetation and availability of feed. The demand for guinea fowls according to the DCE is very high compared to other meat products. And that the Assembly will go into guinea fowl production as an alternative source for revenue genearation.
He finally advised the farmers to show commitment in their chosen occupations so as to increase food production in the district.

Friday, August 28, 2009

DCE VISITS PROJECT SITES




West Gonja District is piloting the expanded crop programme in the country. The DCE and his team visited the project site to acquint themselves with progress of work on the field. The projects is suporting farmers with inputs to cultivate maize, rice and soya bean.
The DCE for West Gonja District Assembly Hon. Adam Mutawakilu urged the farmers to put in their best for the district to recapture its position as the food basket of the region.
He noted that government is leaving no stone unturned to promote food security in the country. And that the people of West Gonaja should be grateful for being among the chosen few district to pilot this programme.

APRM DISTRICT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES INAUGURATED

20th August, 2009 By: Regina Atule, Damongo

Four Districts oversight committees of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has been inaugurated at Damongo in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region.

Addressing the participants the DCE of West Gonja District Hon. Adam Mutawakilu said, research had shown that Africa is the poorest continent in the world despite its numerous natural resources. This situation he said, is attributed to poor governance.

The DCE pointed out that, concepts such as the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) and APRM among others had been established by Africa leaders in an attempt to find solution to this problem.

He said establishing APRM oversight committees at the District level confirmed the commitment of Ghana in finding solutions to Africa’s problems the African way.

He noted that APRM is not an assessment of political leaders or party functionaries but rather a process by which ordinary citizens are given the opportunity to diagnose the country’s development challenges.

Ghana our beloved country is now a shining example for being the first country in sub Saharan Africa to be peered reviewed he said, adding that this grassroots participation in APRM system is a yet another feather in our cup interns of our democratic credentials.

The DCE reminded participants of the government’s commitment to promote good governance by building strong institutions to guide the operations of the machinery of government. He said it is therefore the hope of government that citizens will also cooperate with relevant institutions in the country to facilitate development.

In his remarks, Bishop Paul Bemile member of the APRM – GC said the formation of the APRM system will help foster growth and development, peace, security and democracy.

Also he said it will foster sound economic and corporate governance as well as partnership.

Bishop Paul disclosed that 132 districts have been inaugurated in all the ten regions and these committees will help monitor the developmental activities of their districts.

The districts inaugurated included Bole, Sawla –Tuna –Kalba, Central Gonja and West Gonja.

The occasion was witnessed by officials from APRM secretariat, Assembly Members, Heads of departments, Traditional Authorities and Civil Society groups.

COMMISSIONING OF EU-MICRO PROJECTS IN WEST GONJA

A 3 UNIT CLASSROOM BLOCK COMMISSIONED
20th August, 2009 By: Regina Atule, Damongo

A three unit classroom block under the European Union 6th Micro –Project Progrmme Phase 1 and 2 has been commissioned at Nabori in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region.

In his address the DCE of the West Gonja District Hon. Adam Mutawakilu mentioned that, the task of the District Assemblies is to provide social amenities that would make the people of the area enjoy good life. This is however normally very difficult for the assemblies alone to do he added.

In the light of this he said, development partners had over the years come to the aid of the assemblies.
Hon. Adam said, the West Gonja District Assembly have been privileged to have the EU supporting them with some developmental activities including school buildings CHPS Compound, and Teachers quarters among others.

The DCE gave a brief account of the support the assembly has received from the EU for the 6th Micro Project Programme phase 1 and 2 as follows; (GH¢107,760.42) whilst the assembly and the communities contributed (GH¢26,940.11) which is twenty five percent of the total contribution for the construction of five projects in the district. He mentioned the projects as follows;

1. A 3 Unit Classroom Block at Nabori
2. A CHPS Compound at Achubunyor
3. A CHPS compound at Lingbinsi
4. Teachers Quarter at Mognori and
5. A Culvert at Murugu

Under the phase II he continued the EU supported the assembly with (GH¢125,750.71). The assembly and the communities also contributed (GH¢31,437.68) representing twenty five percent of the total cost.

The DCE mentioned the projects under taken during this period as follows;
1. A 3 Unit Classroom Block at Alhassankura
2. A 3 Unit Classroom Block at Achubunyor
3. A Nurses Quarter at Lanbonto

Not all, this component has also supported groups on income generating projects he added, saying at the moment, the component is supporting some groups in the district.

Among these groups he mentioned were Yelsuma women group, NSUA furniture, Ndenyi women group and Kagbamatu women group.

The DCE stated that, benefits of the EU Micro projects intervention to the district are numerous.

Apart from increasing enrolment in schools, teaching and learning has become conducive. Also, most communities can now get first hand contact with health personnel anytime the need arises he added.

He however said in some parts of the district, one cannot access the area during rainy season and this had forced them to centre most of the projects in a few areas since they are time bound.

He therefore appeal to the development partners to reconsider the district in this direction so that the whole district would benefit from their assistance.

On his part, the Zonal Coordinator of Micro Projects Management Unit (MPMU) Mr M.K Badu disclosed that, this project was one of 904 infrastructure projects constructed in six regions country wide namely Eastern, Central, Volta, Northern and the Upper regions for the period of July 2006-June 2009.

He further disclosed that, in the Northern region, total number of projects constructed is 159 at a cost of GH¢3,366,968.46) representing EDF component.

He said out of this, 7 projects were constructed in West Gonja which have been mentioned earlier. He also disclosed that, the programme supported 58 communities in 16 districts in the region with an amount of GH¢383,882.10 to implement income generating projects out of which 4 communities benefited in the West Gonja District.

Mr. Said the uniqueness of the programme is that the type of a project a community needs is determined by the community itself according to that community’s felt needs. Therefore projects are not imposed on communities by EU or the Government.

Mr. Badu remarked that, maintenance of the facility is very paramount and therefore urged the District assembly, Ministry of Education, PTA and school authorities to make provision in their expenditures for regular maintenance.

The occasion was witnessed by chiefs and elders, heads of departments, Hon Assembly Members, Civil society groups and the general public.