The North East Regional minister Mr. Yidana Zakaria has said that the impact of the region’s share of the big SOCO project package has been great on the beneficiary communities across the length and breath of the young region.

Mr. Yidana who made these known in a recent media engagement at Nalerigu, the regional capital indicated that under the project substantial investments were made in key sectors of the local economy which directly impacted the well-being of the people in the year 2023.

According to the regional minister 9 schools were put up to ensure more children have access to quality education, 8 health facilities were also built enhancing healthcare services for the people, 9 rural market structures constructed providing opportunities for local traders and boosting economic growth in these communities, 2 rural roads were also constructed to facilitate better connectivity and access within the region.

In the area of water and sanitation he said 18 WASH facilities were put up for an improved hygiene and access to clean water in underserved communities in addition to the 4 youth development centres implemented offering valuable opportunities for young people to engage in meaningful activities and skills development.

These efforts he intimated have culminated in the 51 projects dotted around the North East Region.

In 2024 he said 89 subprojects were earmarked for implementation in the region as indicated below; 23 school infrastructure, 5 CHPS Compounds, 18 social infrastructure, 39 WASH facilities, a fire service bungalow as well as 3 equipment and other supplies.

Additionally, the minister said about 400 Common Interest Groups were expected to benefit from the Local Economic Development, LED Grant Model which would eventually benefit over 8,000 people of the region. Some of the notable activities of the youth engagement component he said would include youth parliaments and debates, intercultural dance displays, inter-cluster football competitions, youth sensitization and many interested youth program.

Mr.Yidana announced that award letters were being issued out and contractors were being taken to the various project sites for site possessions.

In a concluding remark, he said the SOCO project received unwavering support from the President and Vice President who doubled as the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, NPP. As a resulit of the success stories of the project so far the government was considering request for additional financing to expand in order to benefit the remaining 16 non-beneficiary districts in the six implementing regions of Ghana.

Source – gbcuraonline.com

The North East Regional Minister Mr. Yidana Zakaria bemoaned expressions by opposition political elements that the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion, SOCO Project was not a Non-Governmental Organisation but a Government of Ghana project in partnership with the World Bank calling on the media and the general public to disregard statements being made that SOCO project communities were selected based on political affiliations. Hon. Yidana made these known during a media engagement on the Phase 1 completed SOCO projects of the North East Region in Nalerigu the regional capital.

He indicated that the project was being implemented in three components such as Infrastructure, Local Economic Development and Youth led adding that it captured 48 out of 64 Districts of the North as beneficiaries involving 1,700 communities.

Describing it as a game changer for the five regions of the north, Hon. Yidana said the five year World Bank funded project was being implemented in phases by the Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.. He also stated that the project saw the execution of 530 infrastructural subprojects across the operational area of SOCO with an estimated investment of GHC 184,777,.742.07 funded from Ghana’s USD150 million package from the USD450 million initial released for the SOCO Project.

Mr. Yidana intimated that the project was designed to address the complex challenges faced by the northern regions of the Gulf of Guinea countries such as Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin adding these regions have long been grappling with vulnerabilities as food insecurity, climate change, conflict and violence which led to high levels of fragility. He said that the aforementioned challenges made some members of the youth and communities susceptible to extremist ideologies which further exacerbated regional instability saying it was in the light of these that the SOCO project sought to support the most affected areas in Ghana’s Upper East, Upper West, Northern, North East, Savannah and Oti Regions. The minister who gave the breakdown of the 530 projects as 33 roads and culverts, 59 classroom blocks with teacher accommodations, 73 rural markets, 66 health facilities as well as 210 water systems added that the tangible impact of the project has been the over 6,200 jobs involving 3,800 unskilled labour opportunities, 2,000 skilled labour positions and 426 community facilitator roles.

Mr. Yidana further indicated that through the engagement on infrastructure sites, 3, 748 individuals had earned GHC 5,379,914 during the first year of project implementation. He added that 24,652 women with productive assets such as tools, materials and equipment received support from the project for enhance greater economic independence.

The project according to him strengthened social cohesion, peace and unity as well as efforts to prevent violent extremism especially during sensitive political periods which led to the establishment of 8 new sports facilities serving over 8,000, a platform for youth engagement and community interaction. Project organised 20 sporting events and 15 cultural festival which brought together communities fostering unity and mutual understanding.

The minister therefore called on all stakeholders including traditional rulers, opinion leaders and community members to support moves towards ensuring the sustainance of peace so as to enhance the impact of these projects on the beneficiary communities. The absence of peace according to him meant the withdrawal of World Bank support thereby spelling doom for the project communities.

Responding to some questions from the media, Mr. Alhassan Osman, a CDD/CB specialist of SOCO explained that the criteria for selecting project communities included; poverty and inclusivity, exposer to climate change risks, security risk and proximity to border among other factors.

Source – gbcuraonline.com

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Martin Adjei-Kosah has paid a day’s working visit to the Upper East Region to inspect ongoing SOCO projects spread across the region at various levels of completion.

Briefing the sector minister before embarking on his tour to project communities, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Inusah Abdulai described the World Bank sponsored project as a game changer that would transform the lives of residents of the region more especially in the beneficiary communities in the two regions if well implemented. He said the first face of the five year project which saw the construction of over 240 surface projects was being wined up to pave the way for the begining of the second face in 2024 which would see the construction of over 300 surface projects across the Bolgatanga zone that includes the North East Region.

On his part Mr. Samuel Larbi, the Zonal Head of the SOCO Project Team said despite the successes choked under the implementation of the project that seeks to reduce the impact of climate change on the environment and make life bearable for the people, there were still some bottlenecks associated with delays on the part of some contractors in the speedy execution of their projects and called on them to double up efforts so as to pave the way for the begining of the second face which was far behind schedule. Mr. Larbi disclosed that over 60 youth groups were trained on various skills during the first face of the project under the Youth Led component.

Briefing the media before embarking on the tour, the sector minister Mr. Martin Adjei-Kosah wondered why some contractors could delay projects which were so dear to the hearts of the people. He pledged to terminate and re-award the contracts of contractors who were under performing in line with the laws of the country to ensure the speedy execution and timely completion of the projects behind schedule. This according to him would pave the way for the begining of the second face which was a bigger package for the selected communities within the Bolgatanga zone.

Among the projects he inspected included; the ongoing Atafakuan culvert near Woriyanga in the Tempane District, the ongoing Dachio culvert in the Bolgatanga East District, the completed SOCO project office at the residency, a reshaped road project around Doctors Bungalow linking the main Bolgatanga-Bongo Highway as well as a completed and furnished three Unit classroom block with toilets and urinary facilities at Atolisum all in the Bolgatanga Municipality and a completed CHPS Compound awaiting commissioning at Atebabisi near Sherigu in the Kasena Nankana West District where he rounded up his tour.

On the sidelines of his visit the sector minister paid courtesy calls on the chiefs of the beneficiary communities such as Tempane chief, Dachio chief, Atasolum chief and the Sherigu chief respectively.

The chiefs of the above project co.munities who were full of praise thanked the government for considering their various communities for the projects saying they would alleviate the suffering of the masses.

Briefing the media after the tour which ended at exactly 6 pm on Thursday, Mr. Adjei-Kosah was satisfied on progress of work and praising the various contractors working on them saying most of the projects were completed within scheduled. He said the impact of these projects on the residents would be great citing the joy on the faces of the people as he visited some of the projects in the communities. He advised residents to owe the facilities by maintaining them well so as to drive maximum benefits from them.
He also praised the SOCO project team of the Bolgatanga Zone for a job well supervised and charged them to intensify their supervisory roles so as to ensure value for money.

Source – gbcuraonline.com.

An estimated figure of over 300 children have become orphans over the persistent Bawku protracted chieftaincy conflict who need some form of social protection and education.

Hon. Stephen Yakubu, the outgoing Upper East Regional Minister, said this when he addressed a Muslim congregation at this year’s Eid-dul Fitr prayer in Bolgatanga.

He said the conflict had escalated to other parts of the Region including Bolgatanga and Binduri, and used the occasion to request prayers to address the conflict situation in Bawku.

He expressed concern that some Muslims did not live to observe this year’s celebration and further called for prayers for the departed souls.

“I am aware the Holy Quran frowns upon and condemns murder when it stated that When you kill a life is like you have killed the whole mankind and when you save a life is like you have saved a life of all mankind, so why then do we do this to ourselves as Muslims,” he quizzed.

The outgoing Minister said as part of measures to minimize the conflict situation in the area, some radio stations were shut down and urged Muslims communities in the region to be vigilant about the threat of violent extremism from the Sahel Region using Islam as a decoy.

“Let us endeavour to support the fight against terrorism by volunteering information about the hideouts of these terrorists and giving same to the security agencies as the slogan says; See Something, Say Something,” he told the congregation.

The Minister for the first time publicly informed the general public that His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had re-assigned him to the Upper West Region, while his colleague Minister in that Region would assume duty as the Upper East Regional Minister.

He, therefore, appealed to residents to collaborate and cooperate with the new Minister to enable him prosecute government’s agenda of creating jobs and prosperity for the Upper East Region.

Source – RCC Upper East

The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu, has cut the sod for construction of a 1.2 kilometre road at Soe, a suburb of Bolgatanga, the Regional capital.

The road, which would be constructed with drains, would have bitumen sealing of 0.6metres and stretches from the Akuntatimgane Junction to the Bolgatanga ECOMOG Junction.

The project is valued to cost GH¢ 11,911,258. 27 and would include the provision of 40No. metal street poles and 40No. led street lamps to bright up the area at night and reduce criminal activities.

The Honourable Minister said the stretch of road was usually not motorable in the raining season and commended government for intervention.

The Regional Minister urged the Contractor, Malsons Ltd to ensure that the road project was constructed to meet the required standard, “Where you are to use 11mm, don’t replace it 9.5mm,” he cautioned.

The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Rex Asanga, said the project would open up the area to other development projects as it was strategically located in the Municipality.

Hon. Stephen Yakubu and Hon. Rex Asanga

He said the project was under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP) with the phase one and two made up of retaining walls, two set 2No. mechanical sheds with electric wiring, high tension transformer, a Police Station, 1No. eighteen public seater washroom, 40 No Unit Lockable Stores and Fire Station.

He said the inner roads would be constructed to make the place at Mechanical Enclave habitable for mechanics, who were scattered across the Municipality and for long trucks traveling to Burkina Faso and for those going down south.

Source – gbcuraonline.com

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Stephen Yakubu says the 24-hour economy proposed by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, John Dramani Mahama would not give them ample time to share sweet moments with their wives.

In the company of the Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, Mr. Anthony Namoo and other party enthusiasts, the minister emphasized that the vice president understands the people of the region and would not approve to the 24 hour economy policy of Mr. John Mahama.

“The vice president is saying that he understands the region. He says this 24 hour economy, my brothers; when we work in our farms and we are tired we have to sleep with our wives ooo. We have to be with our wives ooo.” Mr. Yakubu told the gathering.

The Minister was delivering a speech on behalf of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who was unavoidably absent at the 2023 Sekote Tenglebgre Festival by the Chiefs and People of Sekoti in the Nabdam District.

The festival focused on educating the people of the area to take holistic approach to protect the environment.

Mr. Yakubu also responded to Professor Joshua Alabi and Joseph Ade Coker, who in representing John Mahama at the event assured the people of a working 24 hour economy in the next NDC government.

“In the night you want us to go and be farming and then people will come and take our wives away? Naa, chairman we have to be careful with this 24 hour thing ooo.” He concluded amidst applause by party supporters.

Source : gbcuraonline.com