Japanese Embassy signs $220,135 grant agreements with 3 bodies

The Embassy of Japan in Ghana has signed a grant agreement worth $220,135 with two district assemblies and a non-governmental organisation for the construction of two classroom blocks and a health centre. 

The Wassa Amenfi Central District Assembly in the Western Region will receive $72,593 for the construction of a six-unit classroom block for Dwirigum Basic School.

Also, Achiase District Assembly in the Eastern Region will receive $62,631 for the construction of a health centre in Akenkausu while CALID will receive $84,911 for the construction of a 6-unit classroom block for Nwodua Primary School in the Northern Region.

Signed in Accra yesterday, the grant is to foster development in education and health care in the country. All the projects are expected to be completed in 12 months.

The grant, which is under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGHSP), is a Japanese government grant scheme introduced in 1989 to meet the diversified needs of developing countries.

Since 2003, the GGHSP has been paying attention to the concept of human security to provide socio-economic interventions at the grassroots level.

The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Yoshimoto Hiroshi, expressed the Japanese government’s commitment to strengthening the partnership with Ghana, saying, “The long-standing cooperation through the GGHSP has supported sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and water sanitation for more than 35 years.”

He commended the recipients of the grant for their commitment to improving the lives of their people.

He noted that the new projects would provide sustainable solutions to pressing challenges faced by those communities.

Mr Hiroshi said all the respective project areas and their surrounding communities, of not less than 10,000 people, were expected to benefit from the three projects.

He stressed that the health centre at Akenkausu and its surrounding communities would reduce the 11 km distance the people travelled to access primary health care.

Appreciation

The District Coordinating Director at Wassa Amenfi Central, Daniel Kanyage, and a CALID representative, Mohammed Bapio, expressed their appreciation to the Japanese Embassy and the government for their continued support.

They pledged their commitment to regular maintenance in collaboration with community leadership to ensure the facilities remained functional and well-maintained.

Also, the District Coordinating Director of Achiase District, Nuamah Ofori, expressed the belief that the health centre would not only alleviate pressure on existing facilities but also improve healthcare delivery and overall well-being.

He also assured the donors that maintenance and staffing would be prioritised to ensure the facility served generations to come.