Gov't To Allocate $275m To Constituencies - Dr. Bawumia Hints

Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has reiterated government's commitment to eradicate poverty in the country.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia noted that the Nana Addo administration is rolling out several initiatives targeted at creating more jobs, particularly at the constituency and district levels including the villages to curb the unemployment situation the country faces.

The Vice President was Guest of Honour at the opening session of the inauguration and orientation programme that will crystallise the implementation of the NPP's flagship programme dubbed the "Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP)".

The IPEP is a key intervention of the Government of Ghana aimed at directing capital expenditure towards constituency-level infrastructure and economic development priorities.

Under IPEP, priority initiatives including One-Village One-Dam; Agricultural infrastructure (warehouses and markets); "Water for All" Projects; Sanitation projects and One District, One Factory are expected to be implemented.

Delivering a speech at the function, Dr. Bawumia said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is fully committed to this course, hence putting pragmatic measures in place to ensure his initiatives materialize.

He stated that the initiatives are designed to directly affect the indigenes.

The government, he alluded, will allocate $275 million to all the 275 constituencies towards the poverty eradication initiative.

"We're not saying that we're bringing new money. We're going to look for new money. The existing money that we're distributing, we're going to change how it is distributed. So, the monies that we're using for capital expenditure in our capital expenditure budget; we're going to take just 20% of that money. Only 20% of that money and that 20% which we calculated interestingly to be 275 million dollars for 275 constituencies, that $275 million we're going to make sure every constituency every year at least you'll get $1 million for your development," he said.

According to him, the fund is separate from the District Assembly Common Fund.

Dr. Bawumia told the constituency executives to apportion $500,000 towards the establishment of a factory in each district in order to boost job creation at the local level.

"0ut of your $1 million, about $500,000 should be used for One-District, One-Factory within each of the constituencies. So, the development authority will be prepared to invest in each constituency up to about $500,000 to support businesses."

He also advised them to liaise with the queen mothers and women as part of the government's women empowerment programme, further asking them to ensure gender equality.

"Remember Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo is the Gender Champion of Africa. He is AU Gender Champion. Now, you have to be very (very) gender sensitive if you're in front of him. You have to show how you're empowering the women".