Wassa-East District committed to development-Wilson Arthur

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Wassa-East in the Western Region Mr. Wilson Arthur has indicated government's commitment to initiate social intervention projects in the various Districts to accelerate the pace of national development.

He therefore appealed to Ghanaians to keep faith with the Nana Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government as it fulfills the 2016 campaign promises to better the living conditions of the people.

Mr. Arthur, who is the Dean of DCEs in the Western Region, was addressing a stakeholder meeting made up of Heads of Departments, Opinion Leaders,The Media,Traditional Rulers, Security Services, NGOs, Assembly Members and a cross-section of indigenes from the District during a town hall meeting at Daboase in the Wassa-East District of the Western Region.

It was organized by the Ministry of Information in conjunction with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to drum home the achievements of the NPP government since it assumed the reigns of government in January 2017 in her forward march to ensure economic emancipation of the citizenry.

Mr. Arthur said the town hall meeting had become necessary as part of government's intention to ensure accountability and transparency in administering affairs of the nation.

The DCE outlined a litany of developmental projects initiated by the Assembly such as the construction of a CHPS compound at Sekyere Krobo and 2 semi-detached nursing quarters at Akyempim.

Also the Assembl has constructed two new pavilion markets at Daboase and a telecommunication tower planted at Akutuase.

Touching on new projects slated for September 2018,the DCE mentioned a police post at Hemang,the Ateku market complex, the Akutuase police post, and a CHPS compound at Essaman and a Girls' Dormitory for the Secondary School among others.

Under the one District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative, Mr. Arthur said the District has identified a Quarry site, the PSG Oil Palm Mill, the Wassaman Starch Company Ltd. the Wassa Cassava Farmers Co-operative and One District One Warehouse in the District to provide job opportunities to the people.

The DCE outlined a-four-year strategic development plan under the 1D1F project to venture into cassava processing into finished products such as starch with five improved cassava species established in five towns and four new rice varieties supplied to farmers.

The Assembly also supplied 26 farmers with 2 new varieties of taro for multiplication and cocoa spraying inputs as well as 423,356 seedlings to farmers.

Another intervention by the Assembly dubbed artificial hand pollination has also led to improvement in the predominantly cocoa growing area.

Under the planting for Food and Jobs,2,324 farmers were identified with 386 who have benefited from different crop varieties.

On Education, Mr. Arthur said the Assembly organized free registration for BECE candidates in public schools with 2 mock examinations sponsored by the District

He announced that the District placed 29th among over 270 Districts in Ghana in the last BECE results.

Still on education,256 students enrolled under the Free Senior High school (SHS) programme last year with the construction of on-going infrastructure to accommodate the 2018 batch.

The District can also boast of 12 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centers in the area.

On youth and sports ,he said the District placed third at the Western Regional Sports festival with 29 sports young men and women selected from the District to represent the Region.

The DCE has also sponsored the Skyy Football club and contributed immensely to the construction and shaping of the Daboase St.Martin's Anglican park.

On health, malaria cases dropped in 2017 following the massive distribution of insecticides spraying net to people in the District.

The LEAP programme was expanded from 288 in 13 communities to 399 households in 22 communities

Mr. Arthur said the school feeding programme increased from 22 to 23 schools with 6,854 beneficiaries and the capitation grant soared from GHc4.50 to GHc9.00.

Under social protection and vulnerability,240 persons with disability were supported with cash,tools and equipment with 181 PWDs given start-up capitals.

He said 64 new businesses have been established under the national Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan with 81 new jobs such as soap and leather making,cassava processing created out of that.

Two mechanized boreholes have been constructed for the Daboase Police station and Magistrate court and the Assembly under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication programme.

On galamsey, he said 34 people who were displaced by the illegal mining ban across the District,have been registered for institutional skills development training with 200 out of 340 employed under the Nation's builders Corps.

The MP for Wassa-East, Mr. Adjei Mensah who graced the occasion, lauded the DCE and the Assembly for its developmental drive and pledged for a team work to push the development agenda of the District forward.

Decentralized departments and institutions within the District mounted an exhibition to showcase the various activities being embarked upon to speed upon development of the area.