Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana

ECONOMICS

Builsa South District Assembly burdens with GhÂ¢1.7million debt

The Builsa South District in the Upper East Region is burdened with a debt of GH¢1.7million from old projects and programmes executed by the previous government.

Date Created : 11/9/2019 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Godfred A. Polkuu

"It is an indication that some of the outstanding payments on projects executed for the previous years would have to be made before the commencement of new projectsâ€, Mr Daniel Kwame Gariba, the District Chief Executive, said this when he met the Press at Fumbisi, the District Capital, to render account of activities and showcase development projects undertaken within the District over the years.

The meeting was part of a directive given by the Ministry of Information through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to account for development projects with pictorial evidence of projects undertaken within their Districts.

Mr Gariba said the Assembly had, however, constructed Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds at Baasa, Pintengsa and Nyambisi communities at the costs of GH¢316,409.00, GH¢322,394.00 and GH¢357,847.30 respectively from its share of the Common Fund and internally generated revenue.

On security, the DCE said peace and security was restored in the District, which hitherto, was characterized by frequent armed robbery attacks, especially on market days, and indicated that Through the collaborative efforts of the District Security Council, the Security was able to arrest three notorious armed robbers and successfully prosecuted them.

He said government through the Police administration had equipped the District Police Service with a brand new vehicle for patrols, and as part of plans to further ensure the safety of citizens in the area whiles plans were underway to renovate a structure at the District Police Office to serve as Office of the District Commander.

He said the District had seen significant improvement in sanitation through the Community Led Total Sanitation Project, adding that, â€œOut of 30 communities targeted for Open Defecation Free in the District this year, 27 communities representing 90 percent were declared Open Defecation Free,â€ he added.

Mr Gariba said the Assembly through the support of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, received 175 newly improved toilet facilities known as "Digni Loo", a plastic toilet technology, to nine communities, namely: Uwasi-Pion, Uwasi-Golluk, Dalaasa, Uwasi-Chansa, Mosidema, Logzirinsa, Yedema-Yogsa, Gobsa-Naagandem and Uwasi-Gamsa.

He said UNICEF constructed and handed over institutional latrines to five schools, and supported the Assembly to identify and train 30 Artisans and 150 Community Technical Providers to provide technical services on sanitation to some communities.

He said the District had the largest Rice Valley in the Region but only 14 per cent was under cultivation production, "So the Planting for Food and Jobs policy of the government has come in handy to complement the effects of rice production in the District".

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the meeting, on rice production in the District, Mr. Sylvan Dauda Danaa, the Builsa District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said there were nine valleys earmarked for rice production in the District.

He said out of the number, about six portions had been developed, while the total land area developed was about 866 hectares, "If you consider the 866 hectares, there are also people that have privately developed their own land space to cultivate at the Valleys and if you add that, we are currently doing 1350 hectares".

Mr Danaa said with 1350 hectares of land out of a potential area of about 4,600 hectares, meant the District was under cultivating.

â€œIf farmers are empowered and more land space is put under cultivation, we can really feed a lot of people in the country.