Veep didn’t say one million dollars will hit accounts of MMDAs – DCE

The District Chief Executive for Sissala West, Mohammed Zackaria Bakor says the district is enjoying its fair share of government’s One Million dollars per One Constituency initiative.

Responding to questions from journalists at the 6th Meet the Press Series in the Upper West Region, Mr. Bakor pointed out the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in his comments did not state categorically that the Cedi equivalent of the one million dollar pledge was going to be sent directly into the accounts of the various MMDAs across the country.

The DCE said the first tranche of the funds has gone into the construction of solar powered boreholes and institutional toilets spread across the district.

The Meet the Press Series is to allow the various Municpal and District Assemblies in Upper West the opportunity to communicate their development plans to its people through the media.

The DCE for Sissala West, Mohammed Zackaria Bakor disclosed that 7 out of 10 small earth dams handed over to contractors under the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives have been completed and handed over to the communities while another at Gumo is at 50 percent completion.

Those completed are in Liero, Gbal, Dasima, Puzene, Gwollu, Kandia and Kusali. The two others at Bupkal and Duwie are however, yet to see any development.

Mr. Bakor also mentioned that about 400 ruminants have been distributed to 76 farmers in the district under government Rearing for Food and Jobs.

He added that government’s PFJ is “progressing to change the lives of farmers and improve local economies”. He disclosed that over “500,000 inputs have been received under this [PFJ] programme”.

The DCE used the platform to correct the impression that MMDAs would have been handed monies under the One million dollar per Constituency directly.

“One Million Dollars [One Constituency], yes, Sissala West as a district we have gotten our fair share. The Vice president did not say that the one million dollars is going to come into our [MMDAs] account. The statement was every district was going to get one million dollars and this has come to Sissale West as development,” he explained.

On roads, the DCE for the area, Mr Bakor said a number of roads had been given out for reshaping.

They include; the reshaping of Bullu – Sangbaka – Gbaal Feeder Road, the opening of Nimoro – Kaar Feeder road, graveling and bitumen of Feilmoa – Fatcho Highway and the graveling of bitumen of Pulima – Jefisi – Hain road.

The rest are reshaping of Kwala – Gbaal – Zini road, construction of box culvert on the Jefisi – Gwollu road, opening of the Gwollu town raods and the construction of the Gbaal – Kunni Road.

The Director the Sissala West Department of Agriculture, Dr. Francis Ndamani explained that although there was indeed a shortage of fertilizers this year due to the temporary suspension of the District from the Planting for Food and Jobs PFJ program, the problem was quickly resolved.

“The quota that was given to us was 250,000 bags of NPK. That is so low compared to what we received in 2018 which was 370,000 bags. When we observed this, we quickly communicated to the head office in Accra and they gave authority to the DCE to identify appropriate input dealers who could top up the supply. Within a week, this arrangement was done and as we speak, we have received 440,000 bags of NPK which is above what we got in 2018. And I can confidently tell you [the media] that these fertilizers went into farm production judging by the number of acres we have cultivated this year,” he explained.

For his part the Assistant Director in Charge of Administration and Finance at the Sissala West Education Directorate, Dramani Chakurah appealed for support from well-meaning individuals and organization to support them address the issue of child marriage and abuse affecting the education of girls in the district.