President cuts sod for Koforidua drainage project

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday cut the sod for the construction of the Nsukwao Basin Drainage Project in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

The project, which is under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), is being funded by the World Bank.

Its main purpose is to improve urban management and basic urban services in 25 municipal assemblies across the country.

As part of his Eastern Regional tour, the President also inspected a 20-kilometre Tinkong-Amanfrom road and a poultry production and processing company.

Beneficiaries

In the Eastern Region, four municipal assemblies, namely New Juaben South, Lower Manya Krobo, Birim Central and Abuakwa South will benefit from the secondary cities support programme.

In an address, President Akufo-Addo noted that the New Juaben Municipal Assembly had identified flooding as a major risk to the lives and livelihoods of persons living in Nsukwao, Zongo, Two Streams, Abogri and other communities within the municipality.

The Nsukwao community has since 2016 experienced flooding which has destroyed the homes and property of many residents.

Cost and scope

The President explained that the Basin Drainage Project would deliver a storm drain that would minimise flooding in the identified communities at the cost of GH¢15.81 million.

He said the project would also involve the installation of four storm water surface retention ponds distributed along the Nsukwao River, flow facilities, channelisation and streambank stabilisation; concrete pipes and culverts, with two access roads.

President Akufo-Addo was confident that “this project will make flooding history in New Juaben and restore enhanced livelihoods of the residents in the municipality”.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, indicated that her ministry was currently working with the municipal assemblies and the design and supervision firms to come up with the next phase of priority projects for the 25 assemblies.

1D1F – Akro Farms

At Apasare, in Akwapim North, President Akufo-Addo visited Akro Farms Ltd, a One district-One factory (1D1F) initiative.

The company, which produces fresh and healthy eggs, chicken feed, broilers, processed chicken and day-old chicks, has completed the first phase of its project with an investment of some GH¢20 million.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mrs Salomey Gyamdi, told the President that the firm’s automated brooder house had a capacity to produce 40,000 birds, and had an automatic egg collection and packaging system installed "to ensure speed and efficiency in our processes".

Additionally, she said, the farm had a hatchery, with one feed processing unit and warehouse with 400 KVA Industrial Power Generation plant, and that the company planned to set up a 16,000 birds per day capacity meat processing plant for the broiler farm and outgrower farmers.

She said the company had created both direct and indirect jobs for over 1,025 individuals in the poultry value chain in Akuapim North and its surrounding districts.

Inspection

The President later inspected the 20-kilometre Tinkong-Amanfrom road, which had been completed and tarred in less than three years.

President Akufo-Addo also inspected a new office complex for the Okere District Assembly.