Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday inaugurated the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 582 projects under the Northern Gulf of Guinea Community Cohesion (SOCO).
The symbolic sod-cutting took place at the palace of Dagbon’s monarch Yaa Na Abkari Mahama II.
The SOCO project will be implemented in 48 Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in six regions in northern Ghana.
Some development experts touted the importance of the project, describing it as a timely intervention to address some of the key emerging and recurring challenges in northern Ghana. I am.
The government secured a $150 million loan facility from the World Bank. This will benefit eight districts in the Northern Region, six in the Northeast, 15 in the Upper East, 11 in the Upper West, and four each in the Savannah and Oti regions. .
Officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development said the projects aim to address the impact of conflict and extremism spillover from the Sahel region.
It also helps reduce vulnerability from exposure to the effects of climate change. Strengthen local institutions. Improve economic opportunity and build public trust.
Vice President Bawumia said the government was mindful of the growing human and other security threats in the Sahel caused by climate change and conflict.
We were therefore taking appropriate steps to ensure that these do not spread to Ghana by creating meaningful jobs and providing opportunities for economic, social and other means of improving livelihoods.
“In this regard, the SOCO project is primarily focused on border communities in these regions, where the population, especially women and youth, are exposed to and at risk of terrorist threats from the Sahel region.” he said.
Therefore, this project focused on addressing issues related to fragility, conflict and violence (FCV).
“Another critical issue is the impact of climate change. Climate change multiplies the threats and complicates the dynamics of fragility and conflict, especially regarding access to natural resources,” the Vice President said.
“In Ghana, where a large proportion of the population relies on rain-fed agriculture, the livelihoods of many people living in the north are constantly affected by climatic conditions, and as people adapt to changing conditions over time. Building resilience is becoming difficult, which is why we need the SOCO project.”
Phase 1 is expected to provide socio-economic community-level climate-resilient infrastructure, skills development and training to youth and women, including vulnerable groups, this year.
These include the construction of water supplies, school buildings, health facilities, markets, earth dams, and other critical physical infrastructure.
The project has so far created jobs for 434 community facilitators and other professionals, and has also improved access to basic socio-economic services, promoted local economic development, gender equality and It will improve environmental management.
Beneficiary areas and districts were carefully selected based on vulnerability index criteria, including exposure to security risks, climate change vulnerability, poverty rates, and unemployment rates.
Vice President Bawumia called on all implementing agencies to continue to perform their duties to achieve the desired goals.
“I would like to emphasize that funds are available for the implementation of all sub-projects, as the Minister of Local Government has indicated earlier.”
“We would like to warn all implementing agencies, both at national and sub-national levels, that delays in implementation will not be tolerated.”
He called for ensuring that project implementation through a decentralized structure delivers the outcomes and impacts described in the project evaluation document and project implementation manual. ”
Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Daniel Kweku Botwe, assured Yaa Na and other traditional leaders and residents that his ministry would work closely with them to ensure smooth implementation. promised.
“Your Majesty, contractors and agents have a special task to regularly brief you and all other parties on the progress of the work and to keep you properly informed of any developments.”
The Member of Parliament for Yendi, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama, commended the government for its good work, saying it was “a step back from the past where we heard about community development but never actually saw it”. “We believe that this will be different and will bring real development right to the people’s doorstep.” ”
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