MiDA spends $15million in 30 MCA beneficiary districts
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, July 26, Ghanadot - The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has so far spent a total of $15millon out of the $547million Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in the 30 beneficiary districts of the Central, Eastern and Northern Regions in the country.

The $15million covered projects in the area of agriculture, transportation and rural services.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Mr. Martin Eso-Benjamin disclosed this at the commissioning of 35 rehabilitated schools in the Eastern Region at Pakro, in the Akwapim South Municipality.

The 35 rehabilitated schools were under the MiDA’s Community Services Activity at the total cost of $2.2million.

Seven districts, including the Akwapim South Municipality benefited from the Community services Activity namely Pokro Nsaba Presby Primary, Darmange Presby Primary, Nsakye Presby Primary, Pakro Presby Primary and Pakro Methodist Primary schools.

According to him, all the 35 rehabilitated schools were being provided with furniture, while currently, 30 flood-affected schools were also under construction in five districts of the Northern Region.

Mr. Eso-Benjamin announced that 278 school blocks of various types, made up of six and three-classroom blocks, 25 units of teachers’ accommodation, toilet/urinary facilities and nine ICT centres were planned to be constructed in all the 30 districts of the MCA Ghana Program.

While MiDA is providing schools infrastructure, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has also agreed to address the unmet demand for qualified teachers in MiDA-constructed schools.

To this end, the USAID has engaged the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) to identify unqualified individuals who are prepared to be trained by the foundation to teach in MiDA schools which have inadequate teachers.

He hinted that “Needs Assessment and Validation of the selected have been completed in the Akwapim South Municipal Assembly and I am happy to inform you that not only educational facilities have been earmarked for implementation; there will be water and sanitation projects as well”, saying already feasibility studies have commenced.

The CEO revealed that MiDA’s Needs Assessment also confirmed the shortage of qualified teachers in many FBO communities in the Northern Agricultural Area, Afram Basin Zone and the South Horticultural Belt.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the Akwapim South Municipal Assembly, Dr. Godfrey Osei Bonsu-Twum assured the MiDA that the assembly would put these projects into good and also ensure a sustainable maintenance culture so as to prolong their longevity.

He used the occasion to call on all citizens of the municipality to put all hands on deck in order to assist the assembly to push its development agenda forward.

At Gomoa Oguan in the Central Region another 35 rehabilitated schools in seven districts, including a school at Gomoa West District, at a total cost of $2.2million were commissioned.
Ghanadot


 

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