NGO TO ADDRESS SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN U/W (PAGE 35, DEC 9)

THE SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, a Dutch non-governmental organisation (NGO), is to intervene to address some of the socio-economic challenges facing the Upper West Region.
Areas the NGO wants to intervene in are promotion of quality education, health and the creation of income opportunities in the shea industry for the vulnerable groups.
The Country Director of the NGO, Mr Amaigon Keita, announced this to officially launch the programme in the Upper West Region.
He explained that the intervention of the organisation would involve provision of technical support to the public and the non-state actors engaged in education, health and the shea industry.
He said the decision by SNV to open an office in the region had not been easy, considering the global economic meltdown that was affecting development aid.
He observed that the Upper West Region had faced various challenges which had made it to lag behind in most indicators, including education, literacy and social infrastructure.
Mr Keita called for the support and co-operation of all development stakeholders in the region, particularly the chiefs and the people, since NGOs could not alone solve all the challenges in the region.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Kale Caesar, acknowledged the presence of the organisation in the region and said that move would stimulate development.
He said the contribution of the organisation would help support the social contracts the Government had signed with the people of Ghana.
For his part, the Dean of the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies, Professor Abraham Berinyuu, said the development challenges facing the north required the concerted effort of all, irrespective of one’s political affiliation.