By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, Oct. 26, GNA – Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia Tuesday inaugurated new governing boards of the three development authorities at the Jubilee House in Accra.
These are the Coastal, Middle Belt, and Northern development authorities.
He called on them to work collaboratively with the ministries, departments, agencies, and the assemblies for joint monitoring and evaluation of projects to prevent duplication and ensure efficient utilisation of resources.
The authorities are special vehicles established by the government to spearhead development in each of the 275 constituencies.
They have been allocated a cedi equivalent of one million US dollars to ensure equitable and inclusive distribution of infrastructure nationwide.
Vice President Bawumia said over 5,000 infrastructure projects have been initiated by these authorities since their establishment in 2017.
The projects included school blocks, community water systems, clinics, markets, small dug-out dams, Astro-turfs and water closet facilities across the country.
Some of these projects have been completed and commissioned for use while work is ongoing for others.
The Vice President said investing in infrastructure projects at all levels was one of the surest approaches to developing a nation.
He, therefore, urged the new boards and managements to identify innovative sources of funding through private partnerships and other stakeholders for implementation of more projects and completion of the ongoing ones.
He also asked them to label their projects to prevent ambiguity over the sources of funding.
Madam Clara Napaga Tia Sulemana, the National Coordinator, Special Development Authority Secretariat, entreated the boards and managements to work closely to achieve the mandates of the authorities.
Mr Alex Kwaku Korankye, the Board Chairman, Middle Belt Development Authority, on behalf of the three authorities, expressed gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to work assiduously to achieve their objectives.
The Coastal Development Authority is chaired by Mr Edmund Annan with Mr Jerry Ahmed Shaib as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mr Alex Kwaku Korankye and Mr Joe Danquah are the Board Chairman and the CEO, respectively, of the Middle Belt Development Authority.
The Northern Development Authority has Dr Sulemana Abdulai as Board Chairman and Alhaji Sumaila Abdul-Rahman, the CEO.
The authorities currently operate under the Special Development Initiative Secretariat of the Office of the President.
GNA