Japan grants $350,000 for devt projects
The Embassy of Japan yesterday signed $350,000 grant contracts with four institutions to support various developmental projects across the country.
The grant is under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) scheme established to assist non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and local public authorities in developing countries, to respond to various developmental needs.
While Voice of People Disability Ghana (Voice Ghana), an NGO, received $83,662 for the construction of a counselling hub for persons with disability (PWDs) in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region, the Amansie West District Assembly received $86,524 to construct a classroom block for the Pakyi Banko Basic School.
Akrofuom and Amansie West District Assemblies in the Ashanti Region received $92,590 and $86,524 respectively, for the construction of a Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound.
At a brief signing ceremony in Accra yesterday, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Mochizuki Hisanobu, said the projects were expected to benefit an estimated 18,000 people and improve livelihoods at the respective areas.
“Japan has been promoting the concept of human security that aims to build a world where everyone can live in dignity, free from fear and want, through the protection and empowerment of individuals,” he stated.
The Ambassador said the GGHSP was aimed at responding directly to requests from communities and “Japan is determined to stay engaged with key stakeholders in these sectors to continue providing such support to the people of Ghana.”
He encouraged beneficiaries to ensure successful implementation of the projects to serve intended purposes.
The Executive Director of Voice Ghana, Francis Asong, expressed gratitude to the government of Japan for the grant which he said would go a long way to improve psychosocial support to PWDs and help address other mental health-related matters.
“We envisage to complete the project within nine months using value for money principles in all our spending and procurement processes. The facility shall comprise two offices; one for counselling services and the other for assessment services as well as spacious waiting area for clients and washrooms,” he noted.
For his part, the District Chief Executive of Akrofuom District, Dr Maurice Jonas Woode, said the CHPS project would augment the Assembly’s efforts to extend quality and accessible healthcare to all communities in the area while “enabling us channel our limited resources to addressing other development needs of other communities in the district.”
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
