Districts Priorities

 Key

1.    Strong linkage        -    3
2.    Moderate linkage    -    2
3.    Weak linkage         -    1
4.    No linkage              -    0

The above table gives an indication of a total score of (116) and if this figure is divided by the number of identified key development problems (21) of the result gives an average score of 5.5. It can be concluded from the above mentioned that the harmonized identified development problems are compatible with the pillars of the GPRS II.  List of identified issues as related to the GPRS II can now be obtained.

Development  Goals

The district development focus is to accelerate the growth of the local economy by improving incomes of the people to ensure an improved livelihood by 2009.

a. The Goals of the Ahafo Ano North District

To achieve accelerated and sustainable growth in household incomes through empowerment of private sector and provision of social amenities.

To improve incomes of the people through increased productivity and access to basic social services such as healthcare, quality education, potable drinking water, decent housing, effective security mechanism and the ability to take part in decisions affecting our own lives.

b. National Development Focus and Goals

The National development focus as indicated in the GPRS II is to accelerate the growth of the Ghanaian economy and to achieve a per capita income of $700 by the year 2009.  The GPRS II emphasised on wealth creation and poverty reduction through growth including policies and programmes.

The National development goals, as stated in the GPRS II is also to achieve accelerated and sustainable shared growth, poverty reduction and promotion of gender equity, protection and empowerment of the vulnerable and excluded within a decentralised democratic environment. The District Development goals were just a posed to ascertain if they were consistent with the National Development goals.  The rationale for this was to ensure that the district activities with regards to development conform to National Development aspiration.  The following represents a key for the National goals.

Keys

Improving Ghana’s access to global and regional market.

Enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of national market.

Strengthening of firm’s competence and capacity to operate effectively and efficiently.

Facilitate private sector access to capital

Facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship

To improve agriculture marketing

To increase access to export markets

To improve transport services

To promote tourism as major source of revenue

To improve the quality of teaching and learning

To improve the quality of efficiency in the delivery of education service

To promote science and technology education at all levels

To promote skill and entrepreneurial training

To improve access to healthcare

To strengthen efficiency in service delivery

To reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS

To accelerate the provision of safe water and sanitation

To improve environmental sanitation

Strengthening the process of democratization

Improve existing institutional, legislative and policy environment

To promote evidence based decision making

To ensure gender equity

To foster greater civic responsibilities

To integrate traditional authorities into formal institutional structures for governance.

Development  Projections

Projections are one of the most important elements in the Planning process.  Given the rationale that planning is for and with the people; the importance of human resources and for that matter the total population cannot be over-emphasised, since human resource and needs vary in terms of population size, composition and distribution, the need for future population projections is the refore, essential tool and fundamental element for development planning.

Population Projection

The district population is projected using the Geometric extrapolation method.  
(R=Pn – 1/Pn = Po (1+r) t)
         Pot
Where Po = Base year Population (Census year Population)
             t = interval in years
             r = intercessal growth rate or observed average annual rate of Population growth.

Assumptions

The role of assumptions in the population projections cannot be over-emphasised.  Projections essentially deal with the future, which cannot be predicted.  In case of population, the uncertainties have to deal with changes in fertility, mortality and migration schedules, which jointly determine changes in population. The assumption under which the population projections were made was based on the fact that there is not going to be any significant changes in population characteristics and growth rate.

The growth rate of 2.96% remains the same throughout the plan period.

No significant changes in fertility rate of 6.6% expected throughout the plan period

The district population census age cohorts for 2000 remains the same throughout the plan period.

Current trends in migration continue throughout the period  of projection

The crude death rate of 12 persons per thousand population remains the same throughout the plan period

The mortality rate remains the same throughout the plan.  The age pattern of mortality in the district approximates that of the Goalie-Demeny North Family models and that quinquential gains in life expectancy at birth tends to approximate between 2 and 2.5 years when life expectancy is less than 55 years in the district.

Age Cohorts Projections

Given the assumptions underlined in the GPRS I, the age cohorts were projected. This means that all things being equal the age cohorts projections in the 2000 population census remains the same throughout the plan period and that the growth rate of 2.96% also remains the same throughout the plan period. 

Objectives:

To increase rice production by cultivating 100 acres rice annually.

To increase yield of cocoa farms by 50kg /acre annually from the current 266kg /acre.

To cultivate 1000 acres of oil palm annually to boost up palm oil export.

To increase the production of 5 non-traditional commodities for export by 1000 youths and 500 women 6% annually.

To cultivate 200 acres of Soya bean annually as a rich source of supplementary protein.

To reduce damages caused by bush fires 10% annually?

To reduce post harvest losses in cereals and grains by 5% annually.

To increase the number of local birds by 20% annually.

To give recognition and awards to 500 gallant farmers annually.

To reduce mortality in poultry and livestock by 5% annually.

To increase production of small ruminants through recommended livestock practices by 5% annually.

To construct one drain across River Kwasu to irrigate 1000 acres of vegetable/rice farms annually effective from 2008.ii.

Strategies

20 farmer groups formed and animated to animated to access credit to Cultivate 100 acres rice farms annually.

796 farmers receive support to replant old farms and undertake farm maintenance for 1592 acres of cocoa farmers through cocoa farms.

60,000 bags of Asasewura distributed to cocoa farmers through cocoa Hi-tech.

450 farmers supported to spray 900 acres of cocoa against capsid infestation.

20 farmer groups strengthened and supported to enable each group cultivate 50 acres oil palm from the PSI – Wiawso Nursery.

Formation of 50 youth and 25 women groups trained to in stake grasscutter, rabbit, mushroom, snails and honey production.

Formation of 20 farmer groups to cultivate soyabeans.

30 anti-bush fire campaigns organised by 100 communities.

500 farmers supported to construct 500 narrow cribs.

10 workshops organised for 500 farmers on pre-storage treatment of maize and grains.

Campaign for vaccination against new castle disease

Vaccination of about 4000 local birds against new castle disease.

Organise Farmers’ Day celebration.

Vaccinate 4000 small ruminants and 1500 cattle.

Vaccinate 20,000 birds against Gumboro.

Castration of 200 unwanted sires to eliminate in-breeding.

Educate 1000 farmers to prepare silage and hay for dry season farming.

Educate 100 farmers to provide recommended housing for small ruminants.

Educate 100 farmers to stick to recommended routine control of ecto/endo parasites.

Construction of Dam

Organise and animate 50 youth and 20 women groups.

Training of youth/women groups in organic farming, irrigation and I.P.M techniques.

Training of 700 farmers in vegetable nursery techniques.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Objectives: To develop ICT in the district to 20% by 2009

Strategies

Establish on ICT centre at Tepa.

Make District Assembly information super Highway.

Establish internet services for the two (2) Secondary School.

1. Youth Employment
   Objective 
   
   To create jobs for 600 youths under the Youth Employment Programme in the District by 2009
   To develop skills of 400 youths by 2009
   To develop all the two (2) tourists sites by the end of 2008.
   
   Strategies
   
   Employ 250 youths under the Youth Employment Programme per year.
2. Equip the ICCESS Centre at Anyinasuso
3. Employ qualified teaching staff at the centre.
4. Provide access roads to Asuhyiae tourist site.
5. Provide electricity to the Asuhyiae tourist site
6. Construct chalets at Asuhyiae tourist site
7. Provide sanitation facilities at Asuhyiae tourist site.
8. Construct borehole at Asuhyiae tourist site.

Feeder Roads
Objectives

Construction Bitumen Roads (surfacing) from 18km-40km by the end of 2009. Maintain MPBS roads on district wide from 267km to 475km by the end of 2009 to construct and rehabilitate a total of 52km feeder roads by the end 2009. Rehabilitation and construction of 52km –feeder roads by 2009 in the following communities.

Danyame  -  Betiako and other (12km)

Twabidi  -  Beposo (3.4km)

Abore in – K. Adanse Abore (3km)

Amangoase to Esikro (5km)

Amakrom – Appiahkrom / Nyamedewoasie (10km) 

Mamponhene – Akurakese (3km)

Pobiso – Asantekrom (3.5km)

Twabidi – Trede (5km)

Human  Resource Development

Goal:    To improve access to social services such as Health Care, Education, Water and Sanitation and housing for the well-being of the people in the district.

Objectives

1. To improve Primary School infrastructure by 60% by December 2009.
2. To provide access to JSS facilities to 6 communities by 2009.
3. To improve BECE results from 29% to 70% by December, 2009.
4. To increase the number of qualified teachers by Dec. 2009.
5. To provide basic schools in the seven (7) area councils with library facilities by December 2009.
6. To institute annual awards to at least 54 hardworking teachers and GES workers by December, 2009.
7. To provide incentive packages for teachers in 10 difficult to teach areas by December 2009.

Strategies

7 primary schools provided with permanent structures.

Rehabilitation of 21 primary schools.

9 primary schools provided with 2KG classrooms each for the planned     period 6 JSS blocks built during the planned period.

Organise mock exams for JSS candidates.

Improve supervision in schools.

Collaborate with traditional authorities to institute night studies for pupils. Sponsoring awards to 100 teacher-trainees for the four (4) year period. Old classrooms to be rehabilitated and used as libraries. Identify at least 18 hardworking teaches and GES staff yearly for special award. Provision of teachers’ quarters, bicycles, and solar energy to at least 20 most deprived areas in the district.

1. Health
   Objectives:
   
   
2. To increase geographical health access to about 60% by the end of December, 2009.
3. To collaborate with four (4) institutions to improve access to health to 60% by December 2009.
4. To improve human resource in the health sector from 10% to 30% by December 2008.
5. To ensure the availability and maintenance of requisite health equipment by the end of December 2009.
6. To reduce malaria cases in children less than 5 years from 46% to 25% by December, 2009.

Strategies

1. Construction of staff quarters in both the hospital and all the health centres at the end of 2009.
2. Construct / number 4 unit residential accommodations for Asuhyiae CHIPS Zone.
3. CHIPS compounds in six or more zones in the district.
4. Collaborate with chiefs, queens, opinion leaders and other departments in all health related interventions
5. Advertise for more qualified health staff.
6. Collaborate with the human resource division and regional health directorate for more staff.
7. Service all health equipment.
8. Support roll-back malaria programme.
9. Supply free treated mosquito bed nets.

Water and Sanitation
Objectives

1. To increase access to potable water from 50% to 67% by December 2009.
2. To provide aqua-privy toilet facilities for 20 communities.
3. To provide 20 affordable housing units to the selected areas
4. To support 30% women and physically challenged to be self reliant by 2009.
5. Strategies
6. Provide adequate potable water to 20 communities.
7. Construct aqua-privy toilet facilities for 20 communities.
8. Construction of 20 affordable housing units’ district wide.
9. Train 30 women and physically challenged with employable.

Good Governance

Goal: To improve service delivery through effective citizens participation in the development process within a safe environment and effective revenue mobilization and utilization.

Objectives

1. To reduce the frequent breakdown of Assembly vehicles by 50% by December 2007.
2. To improve citizens participation in local decision making by 30% to 70% by 2007.
3. To reduce crime rate by 30% to 70% by December 2007.
4. To improve staff residential accommodation by 60% by 2007.
5. To increase citizens awareness of existing by-law by 70% by 2008.
6. To improve Assembly’s revenue generation by 80% by December 2007.
7. To improve effectiveness of Assembly’s substructure from 30% to 80% by December 2007.
8. To improve collaboration between Chiefs and Assembly from 10% to 50% by 2008.

Strategies

1. Regulation the use of Assembly vehicles.
2. Prepare transport schedules
3. Provide and supervise log books.
4. Create awareness of citizen responsibilities.
5. Commence effective development communication.
6. Provide means of transport to the Police
7. Provide office and residential accommodation for police personnel.
8. Provide the necessary tools and logistics
9. Construction additional staff quarters.

Awareness campaigns.

1. Enforce existing by-laws
2. Motivate hardworking revenue collectors.
3. Set target
4. Improve revenue control mechanism.
5. Re-evaluate properties in the district.
6. Identify investment potentials.
7. Completion of area councils offices
8. Effective collaboration of Unit Committees and traditional authorities.