The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, has handed over to Akwidaa, in the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly in the Western Region, some projects worth Three Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty-One Ghana Cedis (GH₡328,661.00) including the Rehabilitation of a 3 Unit Classroom Block and Construction of Store, Severy, 1 No Bathroom, 4 W/C Facility, a lobby, and a playground with aprons.
This forms part of a significant occasion organized to hand-over sub-projects implemented under the 3rd Cycle of the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project in the ten (10) beneficiary Municipal and District Assemblies (M/DAs), as well as the graduation of Cash for Work (CfW) beneficiaries who have successfully completed the Employability Life Skills Programme under the leadership of the SoS Children’s Villages (SoS).
As part of the project design, the GrEEn initiative through the Cash for Work ((CfW) component provided capacity building training in employable life skills which was facilitated by the leadership of SoS Children’s Villages (SoS), encompassing various areas including soap making, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, among others. A total of One Hundred and Forty-Eight (148) community members, consisting of Thirty-One (31) males and One Hundred and Seventeen (117) females benefited and have been graduated.
In a statement read by Deputy Director of Human Resource Directolrate at the Ministry, Shadrach Mensah, on behalf of the Hon. Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation And Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah (MP), during the commissioning and hand-over, and graduation of the Cash for Work beneficiaries, on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the honourable Minister urged the Municipal Assembly to prioritise the operation and maintenance of these climate infrastructure projects, which includes ensuring sufficient budget allocation for Operation and Maintenance within the Municipal Assembly’s work plan and was hopeful with their support, the project mechanisms could be extended to other MMDAs, especially those affected adversely by climate change, irregular migration and limited local economic development opportunities.
He called for additional support from the EU, UNCDF, and stakeholders-alike towards the extension or replacement of the GrEEn project adding that it was crucial for sustaining the progress made in mainstreaming strategies and objectives at the national, regional and district levels.
The GrEEn initiative focuses on the implementation of climate-resilient infrastructures and investment projects in local communities, including improving water supply through provision of boreholes, constructing footbridges and culverts, setting up greenhouse nets, conducting awareness campaigns to educate the local communities, particularly women and farmers and enhancing their ability to withstand the impacts of climate change and various crises. It is funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
Present at the event were the Ahanta West Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. John Agyare, the Chief Director of the Western Regional Coordinating Council, Fredrick Agyemang, Technical Specialist from the UNCDF, Angela Yayera Kwashie, Deputy Director of Human Resource Directolrate at the Ministry, Shadrach Mensah and some other staff from the Ministry and UNCDF.
Source: Sandra Owusu Asamoah
(Public Relations Unit, MLGDRD)