The Minister for Inner Cities and Zongo Development, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, has hinted that inhabitants of Zongos and inner cities will start benefiting from the Zongo Development Fund by July 2018, after it has set up its secretariat.
According to him, the Ministry has difficulty with office accommodation for its secretariat, but is hopeful that, office accommodation together with the appointment of a board for the Fund would be ready by July for the execution of projects under the Fund.
Boniface Saddique disclosed this to Citi News in Bolgatanga during a baseline assessment of Zongo communities in the Upper East Region.
“What is happening is that, the seed capital has been provided and people are calling on us preparing to support. We are confronted with the problem of accommodation, and as soon as we get the accommodation for the secretariat, we will now have the whole place established, then we will have the board and the administrators.”
“… And so I am thinking that by June or July all these things will be in place, and that is when we will begin to feel the effect of the Zongo Development Fund.”
Mr. Saddique said after the baseline assessment of all Zongos in the country, a consultant will be sanctioned to develop the needs assessment of the communities for implementation.
He stressed that his ministry was bent on improving the living standards of the Zongos through social development and economic empowerment, education, health and infrastructure and sanitation initiatives.
The Ministry will also focus on heritage preservation, security and crime control.
Zongo Development Fund seed money to increase
The Minister indicated that although the Zongo Development Fund has a seed capital of $50m, they expect development partners like the World Bank, UNDP, EU and the private sector to contribute towards the development of the Zongos.
Under the Development Fund, the Zongo communities will have dilapidated schools rehabilitated, with scholarship packages for students.
They will be provided with toilet facilities, construction of CHPS compounds and water facilities particularly in areas with water problems.
The region is benefiting from the construction of an Astroturf football field in Bolgatanga under the ministry.
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By: Frederick Awuni/citinewsroom.com/Ghana