ATIWA MAKES GIANT STRIDES (PAGE 35, NOV 10, 2010)

THE Atiwa District which was created four years ago has made giant strides in terms of provision of social amenities.
Highlighting on the progress so far made at the last annual sitting of the assembly, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Emmanuel Atta Twum, said a lot had been achieved within the limited period, particularly in the areas of health, education as well as water and sanitation where many of such facilities had been provided
He cited for instance that on education, 37 classroom blocks had either been provided or rehabilitated with eight more school blocks currently under construction, which were at various stages of completion.
Apart from that Mr Atta Twum stated that the assembly had also spent GH21,771.43 to sponsor the education of 67 brilliant, needy students at various levels of education while 11 basic schools had been roped into the school feeding programme.
He said the assembly which had put education on its priority list, had provided the required furniture for teachers and the pupils, adding that 100 sets of furniture for children at the kindergarten level and 1,200 dual desks for those in the junior high schools would soon be delivered.
Mr Atta Twum stated that so far 58,010 people had sort far been insured under the district’s health insurance scheme to enable them to have affordable and quality health care.
To reduce water-borne diseases, the DCE said the percentage of the population enjoying good drinking water had increased from 51 per cent in 2006 to 65 per cent in 2008 and further improved to about 75 per cent this year.
The assembly, he further stated collaborated with Community Water and Sanitation Agency DANIDA, World Vision, Adventist Relief Agency (ADRA), Water Aid and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to provide 262 boreholes, 54 hand-dug wells, four small town water facilities and 54 institutional latrines in the district, especially in the deprived areas.
Mr Atta Twum who indicated that some of the bad roads had also been rehabilitated said GH 39,000.00 had been given out to members of the district’s branch of the Ghana Federation for the Disabled and other individuals to undertake livelihood projects.
On electricity, the DCE told the House that most of the towns and villages had been hooked to the national grid and that the facility would soon be extended to other villages such as Nanapa, Ahankrasu, Vanderpuye and Akutuase-Ehiawoanwu.
With regard to internally-generated revenue, Mr Atta Twum said as of September 30, this year, GH199.851.74 had been collected from local sources, representing 77.6 per cent of the assembly’s annual budget estimated at GH 257,358.20 out of which GH 158,360 had been expended on various projects and programmes.