By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, April 27, GNA – The fifth phase of the Empowerment for Life (E4L) Programme has been launched with the desire to have civil society in Northern Ghana to contribute to improved resilience, equity, and more accountable governance in the country.
The E4L Programme which spans four years (2024 – 2027), focuses on four thematic areas, including accountable and responsive governance, education equity, youth political and economic inclusion, and climate change and resilience.
It is being implemented in 10 Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the Northern, North East and Savannah Regions.
The MMDAs are Yendi, Gushegu, Zabzugu, and Tatale-Sangule Districts, with Yendi serving as the satellite office in the Northern Region; East Mamprusi, West Mamprusi, and Yunyoo-Nasuan Districts anchored around a satellite office at Nalerigu in the North East Region; and Central Gonja, West Gonja, and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Districts with the satellite office situated at Damongo in the Savannah Region.
The implementing partners are Ghana Developing Communities Association, YEFL-Ghana, School for Life, and Changing Lives in Innovative Partnerships, and funded by Civil Society in Development through Ghana Friends.
Mr Abdul-Jabaru Mohammed, Programme Manager, E4L Programme, who made a presentation on the programme during its launch in Tamale on Thursday, said addressing youth unemployment, enhancing education quality and access, improving governance, and strengthening climate change adaptation were critical priorities of the project.
The launch event was attended by stakeholders of the E4L Programme from national to regional and district levels.
Mr Mohammed mentioned the strategic choice areas of the programme, which included advocating for equitable allocation and timely release of the District Assemblies Common Fund, fair and transparent allocation, distribution and utilisation of education resources at primary school level, effective implementation of the National Youth Policy, and climate smart agriculture.
Alhaji Osman Abdel-Rahman, Management Committee Chairman, E4L Programme, said the fifth phase of the programme was an expansion over the previous phases as it had now been extended to two new regions, North East and Savannah.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister, whose speech was read on his behalf, said the programme would play a significant role in uplifting and empowering communities across the northern parts of the country.
He entreated the beneficiaries to regard the programme as a critical complement to the various interventions and initiatives of government aimed at promoting sustainable growth and development.
Alhaji Saibu called on all stakeholders including MMDAs, Departments and Agencies, traditional authorities to offer the needed cooperation and support towards the successful implementation of the programme.
Mr Ayuba Abukari, Head of Programmes and Partnerships at School for Life, in a keynote address, emphasised that, “Let’s rededicate ourselves to the noble mission that unites us, to the vision of a future where every child has access to quality education, every youth has a seat at the table of decision-making, every farmer has the tools to adapt and thrive in the face of climate change, and every citizen enjoys the fruits of accountable governance and inclusive development. ”
Dr Alhassan Musah, Dean of Students, University for Development Studies, who chaired the launch, said the focus areas of the E4L Programme were issues that could no longer be ignored.
He was optimistic that the programme would contribute significantly to the development of the country and expressed the need for implementing partners to collaborate with community members to achieve the needed results.
GNA