Projects under GSOP rated satisfactorily by the World Bank

The World Bank Country Director, Henry Kerali has rated the performance of projects undertaken by the Ghana Social opportunities Project, GSOP, as highly satisfactory. 

He observed that the efficient utilisation of funds on completed and ongoing projects under GSOP has resulted in some positive outcomes considering the level of commitment at which beneficiary communities are engaged in the projects. 

Recounting on the success story of the LEAP and the Labour Intensive Public Works, LIPW, programme, Mr Kerali said feedback received from a number beneficiaries in targeted communities gives the impression that beneficiaries were armed in readiness to sustain their livelihood should these projects finally phase out. 

Mr. Kerali made the observation during a day’s field trip around three sub-projects sites in the Garu-Tempane district of the Upper East Region.

Background

Led by a team of officials from the GSOP, Mr Henry Kerali visited Tariganga, Zisere and Denugu communities, where he interacted with individuals and groups involved in the piloted phase of the LIPW infrastructure and LEAP. 

For the implementation of the LIPW, projects are carried out through the 216 targeted districts and facilitated under three main types of sub-projects. 

These include the repair of access and feeder roads as well as the rehabilitation of small earth dams and dug outs using community labour.  

Under the project, communities are supported to undertake major plantation schemes in mango, acacia, and cocoa depending on the location and the choice of the beneficiary community. 

This is to help provide alternative source of livelihood while assisting in restoring lost and degraded farmlands.   

At Tariganga, about 600 beneficiaries mainly women are engaged in a 7 hectare mango plantation. Their involvement is to help supplement their income levels. 

During a visit to the site, the National Coordinator of the GSOP, Robert Austin disclosed that the plantation scheme is one of earliest GSOP’s sub-projects and forms part of the climate change mitigation components and this is carried out during the agricultural off season. 

According to him, the project has been completed and handed over to the district assembly and the community.

 He disclosed that for the four year period, about 263,000 Ghana cedis have been spent on the project, adding that 73 percent of the amount went into the payment of wages for the beneficiaries. 

 Meanwhile, management of the GSOP has instituted case management systems to resolve all grievances in relation to payment for LEAP and LIPW beneficiaries.  

 The second point of call was at Zesiri, where community members are engaged in the rehabilitation of small earth dam estimated to cost a little over 445,000 Ghana Cedis. 

The over 27,000 cubic meter capacity project which is 60 percent complete used to be a hand scope dug out that could not serve its purpose because it barely last for a month after the dry season. 

The successful completion of the project is therefore expected to serve the larger community and provide adequate water for dry season farming and other household activities.

 Adwoa Asotia-Boakye is the Regional Coordinator of the GSOP. She said so far, 86 of such dams have been rehabilitated in terms of assets delivery. 

During the visit, some LIPW beneficiaries, mainly women were seen engaging in a road construction along the banks of the dam. 

According to Madam Asotia-Boakye, 100 of such feeder roads covering about 350 kilometres have been rehabilitated. 

The World Bank Country Director, Henry Kerali who interacted with some of the beneficiaries says he was satisfied with the level of performance by the outcome of the project components under GSOP. 

The team was also at Denugu to inspect another complementary income generating scheme undertaken by women under the Japan Social Development Fund, JSDF.  

Here beneficiaries are engaged in livelihood support interventions such as soap making, pito brewing, animal rearing and Shea butter extraction. 

The project hopes to provide assistance to 6,200 beneficiaries by close of the piloted phase in the Upper East Region. Under the JSDF, Skills and vocational training has been given to the over 4,000 individuals that has so far benefited from the project in the region. 

These include shea butter processing, malt processing, dawadawa processing, rice parboiling and soap making among other lucrative livelihood ventures. 

Accompanied by the World Bank Director were officials of the Garu District Assembly. 

Also present  was  the National Capacity Building Specialist of the GSOP, Desmond Duametu and the National Manager of the LEAP, Kofi Dzigbordi Agbekpornu among other key dignitaries.

 GBC