Radio Progress News first radio station in the Upper West Region
Stakeholders from the Savannah and Upper West Regions have undergone a refresher training on the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project. The three-day workshop, held on August 22 in Wa, brought together newly appointed Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Regional Ministers, and Coordinating Directors from both regions.
The purpose of the training was to strengthen their capacity to oversee and guide the implementation of development projects within their jurisdictions.
Elizabeth Ohenewah Agyei, the National Coordinator for SOCO, shared updates on the initiative’s progress. She explained that SOCO is a five-year development program currently at its halfway mark, with roughly 1,240 infrastructure-related sub-projects underway.
“Of the 530 sub-projects launched during the first phase, 98% have been successfully completed. The second phase includes 680 ongoing projects, with approximately 53% already finished.
Ms. Agyei also highlighted efforts to boost local economies, noting that around 1,700 community groups are set to receive small grants aimed at improving their productivity.
However, she revealed that 18 projects in the Upper West Region had to be discontinued due to various challenges such as technical difficulties, poor contractor performance, and shifts in project scope.
Meanwhile,at the closing session, Upper West Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing Esq. encouraged participants to ensure they left the training with clarity and answers to all their concerns.
while, the Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Bi-Awribe voiced disappointment that only four of the region’s seven districts were selected to benefit from the SOCO initiative. He stressed that all districts are grappling with climate change impacts and should be included in the project’s scope.
