According to a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Perry Kwabla Okudzeto, the secretariat under the Ministry of Trade and Industry had so far received 350 applications from local and international investors for consideration under the policy, explaining that 80 of the private enterprises had been given approval while others were still under discussions.

Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting organised by the Sunyani West District Assembly at Odomase in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Okudzeto expressed the government’s readiness to start the programme.

Town Hall Meeting

The meeting, which brought together assembly members, traditional authorities and a cross-section of people, afforded the participants an opportunity to interact with the deputy minister and ask questions for clarification on government policies and programmes.

Mr Okudzeto took his time to explain to the participants how the government was going to implement some of its flagship programmes such as the Free SHS Education policy, the one-district, one-factory programme, Planting for food and jobs, the Zongo Development Fund, and the $1 million per constituency among several others.

Some of the issues raised by the participants included the criteria for qualification under the Free SHS education policy and the sustainability of the programme and when  projects under the Zongo Development Fund were going to be implemented.

There were also issues such as the rehabilitation of feeder roads to ensure smooth transportation of foodstuffs under the Planting for food and jobs and calls for support of  traditional rulers towards the president’s fight against illegal mining among others.

Mr Okudzeto said the government would ensure that it establishes factories in the districts to process raw materials, as well as create employment for the teeming youth in the country.

One million dollars per constituency

He said the government was working hard with development authorities to ensure the disbursement of the funds under the one million dollars per constituency programme, adding that measures were put in place to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.

 “We are also going to create the Northern Development Authority, Middle Belt Authority and the Costal Development Authority to spearhead and coordinate how the one million dollars per constituency is implemented,” Mr Okudzeto stated.

He explained that under the policy, opportunities would be given to people at the local level in collaboration with the district and the Members of Parliament (MPs) to select a project for their constituencies for implementation.

Mr Okudzeto added that the one million dollars per constituency fund was not a replacement of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DAC) but rather an additional fund to support the already existing funds for the various assemblies.

Mr Okudzeto assured Ghanaians that the government would continue to engage them in its decision-making process and charged assembly members to educate the public on government policies and programmes.

The Sunyani West District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Martin Obeng, explained that the assembly had put in place modalities for the successful implementation of the various policies and programmes.

He also called on assembly members to interact regularly with their communities to identify and feed the assembly with the pressing needs of those communities.