The Zabzugu District assembly has received an advice from the District Development Facility Secretariat that based on its performance in the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT V) 2011 assessment; the district has been allocated GH¢484,636.00.

This includes: Investment Grant GH¢442,636.00 and Capacity Building grant GH¢41,990.00 

Mr Issifu Laa-Bandow, DCE of the assembly, who made this known during the First Ordinary session of the assembly said the 7.3kilometre (km), Mantile-Sakpalenga Baani road; 4.8 km Sakpalengabaani-Salinkuga road,  8.2 km Gumpela Junction-Gumpela have been listed for rehabilitation.

Also earmarked for reshaping are the Mognedo -Nugmado (12.km), Betido to Kukpalgu (18.5km) and Zabzugu toKumtumbiyili, (6.5km).

The Yendi-Zabzugu-Tatale Highway has been targeted for expansion and regravelling.

However he noted that the economic challenges the country is witnessing,leading to the decline in the value of the cedi against major currencies, is affecting the development pace of the district.

He said this had delayed the release of the third and fourth quarters of the districts share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).

This, he said had resulted in the non-completion of some programmes and projects in 2013.

Mr Laa- Bandow said the assembly’s performance in revenue mobilisation needs to be enhanced to facilitate the execution of its projects and programmes outlined in the Annual Action Plan.

He said in order to arrest thedownward trend of education, the District Directorate of Ghana EducationService and the assembly organised a forum for stakeholders to elicitsuggestions and ideas to improve teaching and learning.

A report on the outcome of theforum would be prepared for presentation at a Regional Education Review meetingin Tamale on April 28- April 29.

He said USAID sponsored projects comprising the construction of three-unit classroom block at Gor Kukani, a kindergarten (KG) block at Kworli, a three-unit junior high school block at Zabzugu DA,  a KG block and three-seater  toilet block at Kalegu, have been completed and handed over to the beneficiaries.

Mr Laa-Bandow urged public-spirited individuals, groups and organisations to join hands with thegovernment to enhance educational pursuit in the district.

Touching on sanitation, he said the construction of institutional latrines under the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation programme in some schools is ongoing.

However, let me hasten to admit that one of the contractors, FAPRICE LTD, a Techiman-based company is behind schedule. This may result in time overruns and the attendant cost implications.

The DCE said the contract for the mechanisation of four high yielding boreholes has also been awarded.

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