SOCIAL:‘Development projects will be spread evenly’ – Ofoso Ampofo

Mr. Samuel Ofoso Ampofo

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Samuel Ofoso Ampofo has assured that development projects will be evenly distributed in all areas of the newly created districts in the country.

He said as a government that is mindful of the welfare of its citizens they (government) will see to it that the national cake is spread across all boarders of the country.

According to him government has allocated a sum of GHs42 million as seed capital for the newly created districts adding that the new districts will also benefit from the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) as well as GETfund projects so there would be more projects for every area.

Mr. Ofoso Ampofo revealed this on Asempa FM’s political show programme ‘Ekosii sen’ when he was asked about his position on agitation recently raised by a section of Ghanaians concerning the location of proposed districts capitals for the newly created districts.

In his response, Mr. Ampofo indicated that  the capitals were strategically selected based on a number of factors including population, land size, geographical continuity, economic viability, growth strategy, location among others.

“Sometimes there is a deliberate strategy to locate the district capital,” he said. “The more you decentralize, the more you quicken the spate of development,” hence calling on aggrieved citizens to bear with them.

Although he accepted that development in some areas were usually concentrated at the district capitals, Mr. Ampofo believed with the remarkable initiatives being implemented by the NDC government, these problems will be resolved.

Some of the initiatives he indicated to include Urban Development Grant (UDG) which seeks to provide the resources to further improve Metropolitan and Municipalities. 

In all, 39 new districts and 7 municipalities will be inaugurated at the district level throughout the country tomorrow June 28, 2012.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/Ghanadistricts.com