At least six million people in and around Zongo communities across the country are to benefit from 220 projects that are being implemented by the Zongo Development Fund(ZoDF) to improve their wellbeing.
The ZoDF would undertake some of these projects at the cost of GH50,132,500 for the first and second quarters of this year.
The acting Chief Executive Officer of ZoDF, Alhaji Arafat Sulemana Abdulai, disclosed these on Thursday to journalists in Accra.
He said validation of all the projects had been carried out, and already 14 projects had been completed and 63 were going through tendering process, while contractors were on eight sites.
These projects are in the areas of skills and entrepreneurial development, Information Communication and Technology training, construction of schools, classrooms, access roads in some Zongo communities, street-lighting and engagement and payment for Arabic teachers.
The ZoDF is an agency under the Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo Development, established last year to provide funding, as affirmative action, to improve the lives of more than five million people living in 3,000 Zongos across the country.
The fund receives requests from the communities which are then validated before approval by the Board of Governors for implementation.
He said about 1,333 people had benefited from health screening and treatment at Swedru, Mankessim, Winneba and Elmina in the Central Region.
Alhaji Abdulai added that about 1000 young people are being trained in ICT adding “In these training programmes, the youth are taught to develop applications for the solution of problems that confront their communities.”
He added that 18 mechanised water systems made up of 20,000 litres of over head tank were being constructed across the country to address inadequate water supply to the communities.
The acting CEO of ZoDF mentioned some of the beneficiary communities as Jema and Techiman Zongo in the Bono East Region; Akuse Fulani in Eastern Region; Dambai, Krachi East, Nkwanta, and Dapaa Junction in the Oti Region; Kasoa in the Central Region and Ho in the Volta Region.
Other beneficiary communities are Agona Nkwanta, Takoradi Zongo in Western Region, Bibiani Zongo, and Dwinase Zongo in Western North Region, Amoaswi Zongo, Juaso Zongo in Ashanti Region, Sakori in North East Region and Jema in Bono East Region.
He added that the fund had awarded on contract supply and installation of a bed lift for the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit of the Mamobi Hospital in Accra, adding “ this is in response to the urgent cry of the hospital authorities to help save lives of the women who visit the facility for ante-natal and post -natal care.”
The CEO of the ZoDF said the “beginning of everything is difficult” adding “being the first of its kind in the political history of Ghana we are having to create out of nothing.”
“It is a life-long project, but we believe that within a generation, we can transform and change the lives of millions of people,” Alhaji Abdulai assured.
By Salifu Abdul-Rahaman
