By Caleb Kuleke
Kpetoe (V/R), Aug. 25, GNA – Mr Baffour Otu-Boateng, the Board Chairman of World Vision Ghana (WVG), says the organisation would operate in the Agotime Ziope District of the Volta region until 2032 with focus on child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, health and nutrition and education.
He called for effective collaboration from various stakeholders to make their presence successful and beneficial to the district.
Mr Baffour made the disclosure during a commissioning of a Gh¢600,000.00 Agotime Ziope Area Programme Office Complex of World Vision Ghana at Kpetoe to facilitate the child wellbeing agenda in the district.
He said in September 2019, WVG conducted a programme assessment in the district, following an analysis of the Ghana national poverty index, which ranked the district as one of the poorest and most deprived in the Volta region and among the least developed in Ghana.
Mr Baffour said the assessment was done with regional and district level stakeholders, using criteria such as the presence of the most vulnerable children, poor socio-economic conditions, incidence of child protection issues, social stability and security.
The Board Chairman said based on the assessment, the district was selected because the issues identified aligned with World Vision Ghana’s strategic objectives, prioritisation and growth expansion plans.
“It should be our collective resolve that by the year 2032 communities in Agotime Ziope District would be places where children are valued; where there is harmony among families; where every member of the community is valued and heard. We would like to see children reading to learn and becoming lifelong learners.”
The Board Chairman said, the organisation in its new strategy, pledged to contribute to the sustained wellbeing of 4.5 million people, including children within families and communities, especially the most vulnerable in 23 districts across 14 regions of Ghana.
He said issues including child abuse, child labour and early child marriages, that affected the wellbeing, growth and future of children were of paramount importance to them and hoped that with support from relevant stakeholders they would be able to deal with the issues.
Mr Baffour urged the youth in the district to take advantage of the various initiatives and activities WVG would be implementing “to enrich yourselves,” and to put themselves in a good position to navigate life with ease and to create a better future.
The Board Chairman was grateful to the District Assembly and its decentralized departments for giving them the piece of land for the office complex and the technical expertise offered during the construction.
Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, commended WVG for complementing efforts of Government to meet the needs of the people in the critical areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Women Empowerment and Education.
“I am elated that WVG has brought its operations to our dear region following the end of its operations in the Oti Region,” he said and entreated the people of Agotime-Ziope district to support and cooperate with WVG to make its operations successful in the district.
The Minister assured WVG of the collaboration and constant support of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council in the implementation of its plans and programmes in the district.
Ms Emilia Emefa Adzimah, the District Chief Executive for the area, said the district was one of the deprived ones in the country and thanked the WVG for investing in the development of the district to improve the wellbeing of the people.
She said the WVG for the past two years of its operations in the district had contributed immensely towards accelerating socioeconomic development of the district and pledged her support to the work of the organisation.
World Vision is a Christian child focused organization with the primary aim of protecting the rights of children and providing access to health care, quality education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and livelihoods security.
GNA