By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Bimbagu (N/E Region), Oct. 28, GNA – Beneficiaries of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project at Bimbagu in the Bunkpurugu District have commended the project for constructing market stores in the community and appealed for additional infrastructure to improve education, healthcare and livelihoods.
The beneficiaries said the newly constructed market stores had enhanced trading activities and provided a more conducive environment for business operations compared to the inadequate facilities they previously used.
Mr Dubik Kambot, a resident who spoke on behalf of beneficiaries during a community durbar organised for a delegation of SOCO project officials from Ghana and Togo, said residents were grateful to the project for responding to their needs and implementing infrastructure that directly benefited the community.
He said traders had previously operated from poorly maintained structures, making business activities difficult until the community was engaged by the project team on the proposed intervention.
Mr Kambot said residents embraced the initiative after learning about the project’s objectives, adding that the completion of the market stores had brought significant relief to traders in the community.
“We are in there enjoying, and we really appreciate what they have done for us. We also want to appeal to the project officials for more,” the beneficiaries said, through their representative.
He appealed to the project to consider expanding the market facilities to accommodate more traders and support growing economic activities in the area.
Mr Kambot also called for improved health infrastructure to enable residents to access essential healthcare services within the community and reduce the challenges associated with seeking medical care elsewhere.
While acknowledging that the project might not be able to address all community needs, he urged officials to prioritise the most pressing concerns.
“We know you may not be able to give us everything, but whatever is important, we need it from you,” he said.
Naba Karim Bagridaa, Regent of Bimbagu, also commended the SOCO Project for responding to the community’s needs and appealed for an expansion of the market facilities.
“We are really happy that the project has already done something for us, and we have seen it with our own eyes. We appreciate what the project has done,” Naba Bagridaa said.
The Regent further appealed for the construction of accommodation facilities for female students at a newly established school in the community, describing the lack of suitable accommodation as a major challenge.
“We have been given a new school, and the girls are there, but there is no accommodation or shelter for them. We plead with SOCO to come in so that they will have somewhere to sleep,” he said.
On healthcare, Naba Bagridaa said the existing Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound was inadequate to meet the health needs of residents and called for support to upgrade it into a health centre.
Responding to the concerns, Ms Elizabeth Ohenewah Agyei, National SOCO Project Coordinator, reaffirmed the project’s commitment to supporting beneficiary communities, noting that the many development needs identified would have to be prioritised within available resources.
She said communities would be given another opportunity to identify and rank their most pressing development needs through their Community Project Implementation Committees (CPICs).
“SOCO is here to continue. Within the communities, we know that the list is very tall,” Ms Agyei said.
She expressed optimism that the participatory process would help communities identify the most critical interventions for implementation within available budgets.
“We are hopeful that in the coming period, once we have started the process again, you will have the opportunity for the communities to come together through the CPICs and prioritize the most important needs from all these lists,” she said.
Ms Agyei assured residents that the project remained committed to continuing its interventions and expressed hope that additional development projects would be undertaken to address community needs.
The SOCO Project is a multi-country US$450 million World Bank credit facility being implemented in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin.
The project, implemented in Ghana by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, was launched in Bolgatanga in November 2023.
Ghana received US$150 million from the facility to implement the project in 48 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Northern, Savannah and Oti Regions.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s email: [email protected].