MIDA To Spend 75 Million Dollars On Projects

The Millennium Development Authority (MIDA) is to spend 75 million dollars on education, water, sanitation and electrification projects in the 23 selected districts under the Millennium Challenge Account Programme this year. Mrs Sue Brown, Acting America Ambassador to Ghana announced this when she cut the sod for the rehabilitation of a six classroom block for the Anglican Primary and Junior High School at Awutu Beraku on Wednesday. The project is among four selected schools rehabilitation projects to be carried on in the district at an estimated cost of 226,000 Ghana Cedis. She said as outlined in the 2006 agreement between the United State of America and Ghana, the Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) seeks not only to reduce poverty through agricultural transformation, but also to improve the living conditions of the beneficiary districts. Mrs Brown said to optimize the impact of the projects; MIDA would have to leverage investment by collaborating with the government's agencies and development partners. She said the USAID, through its Community Teacher Programme, would recruit, train and support Senior High School graduates to teach in MIDA schools. Mrs Brown said a total of 65 Primary and Junior High Schools would be rehabilitated in the selected districts under the MIDA to enhance quality education. She stressed that under the second phase of the MIDA, construction and furnishing of schools, teachers' quarters and ancillary facilities would be provided in the beneficiary districts. Mrs Brown noted that the success of MIDA schools would depend on the determination, commitment and initiative of the beneficiary communities. Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIDA said the rehabilitation ceremony marked the beginning of work on the four schools in the District. He mentioned the beneficiary schools as Senya-Beraku Primary, Bawjiase A and B Primary, Chocho and Awutu Beraku Primary and Junior High Schools. He said contracts would soon be awarded for the rehabilitation of schools in Gomoa West and East, Akwapim South, Kwahu South and North, Sekyere East and Savelugu-Nanton. Mr Solomon Abam Quaye, Awutu-Senya District Chief Executive, urged the people in the area to maintain the school buildings to prolong their life span. He appealed to the MIDA to rehabilitate the Obrachire-Awutu Beraku road to facilitate evacuation of farm products to market centres.