World Food Programme (WFP) donates various sums of money to  six communities in  Wa West District 

The residents of six communities in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region have expressed their joy after receiving various sums of money from the World Food Programme (WFP) through the MTN mobile money transfer platform.

About 1,000 people from Tandaboro, Gbache, Siiriyiri, Cherile, Buli and Oli received a total of GH¢225,975.00 through the MTN mobile money platform towards their participation in the WFP’s asset creation programme.

The monies were credited to registered MTN mobile money SIM cards and presented to each of the beneficiaries.

The asset creation programme, which is being implemented across Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Brong Ahafo and the Volta Regions, seeks to support communities faced with harsh climatic conditions such as long dry spells, erratic rainfall, desertification and land degradation.

Madam Vera Boohene, the WFP’s Communications Officer, at the presentation ceremony in the Gbache Community, said the project was being implemented with the Department of Agriculture and with sponsorship from the Canadian Government.

She explained that the project was to help identify communities to put in place some of the needed infrastructure such as fishponds, small dams and dugouts to boost food security and nutrition towards the general improvement of their wellbeing.

Almost GH¢1.5 million is being paid to 9,000 people who are constructing fishponds, small dams and dugouts in 29 communities in Northern Ghana.

In the Upper West Region, she said, almost GH¢1 million was being disbursed to 7,000 people in 21communities across Lawra, Wa East, and Wa West Districts.

Madam Boohene said the projects, which were started between the September 2015 and January 2016 were expected to be completed within nine months.

She said the WFP switched from food donations to cash payments in 2014 in a bid to further boost community development because cash stimulated the local economies as its benefits spread beyond the individual beneficiary to the wider community.

She urged traditional rulers, assembly members, unit committee members and other opinion leaders to exercise an oversight role in ensuring that the dams and dugouts were maintained.

Mr. GonJohn Wonye, an assembly member of the Area, lauded the WFP for initiating the programme, saying that the fishponds would help community members raise income to support their families and also contribute towards community development.

GNA