The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development has organized a training workshop for key selected officials from the beneficiary Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) implementing the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project in Ghana.
The capacity building training held in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, on Thursday, July 27, witnessed the selected participants taken through Procurement Processes and Management aimed at ensuring an effective implementation of the program in Ghana.
The SOCO Project is multi-country initiative being implemented in countries such as Ghana, Benin Cote D’ Ivoire and Togo with a US$450 million funding support from the World Bank.
The project aims at providing support to the northern parts of these Gulf of Guinea countries that are hardest hit by fragilities due to food insecurity and climate change, conflicts and violence and more importantly exposure to the spillover from the Sahel region.
The government of Ghana’s allocation is a total of 150 million dollars credit facility to support the socioeconomic growth of the populace in 48 MMDAs as well as ensure climate resilience of border communities in the target northern regions.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Hon Daniel Kweku Botwe, whose speech was read on his behalf reiterated his personal commitment to the effective implementation of the SOCO project and ensuring that the objectives realized fully.
He was therefore optimistic that the delivery of the project will lead to increased productivity and job creation; improved access to basic services and economic opportunities; climate resilience and improved cross-border trade and information sharing within the Gulf of Guinea Region.
The Minister is also the Member of Parliament for Okere said the training programme was designed to build the capacities of Procurement Officers, Heads of Works, Finance Officers, Project Focal Persons from the beneficiary MMDAs as well as Heads of Procurement from the six beneficiary Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and Engineers from the Zonal Coordinating and Satellite Offices of the PIU to ensure smooth procurement processes as well as implementation of the project.
He emphasized the training has come at an opportune time where the Ministry in collaboration with the 48 MMDAs has launched the procurement of 582 sub-projects in the areas of connectivity, social infrastructure, markets, water systems, health facilities, as well as supply critical logistics for educational and health institutions.
“This training is therefore expected to build your capacities in both the Government of Ghana’s Procurement procedures as well as that of the World Bank.”
Mr. Dan Botwe indicated that the delivery of the sub-projects will promote job creation, build trust as well as bring communities together to enjoy a shared vision through the provision of their most critical needs.
Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Shani Alhassan Shaibu, in his welcome address read by Mr. Mahammud Haruna, the Regional Budget Analyst gave an assurance that the Northern Regional Coordinating Council would carry out its mandate of ensuring effective coordination and monitoring of the project to ensure that funds are utilized for their intended purpose to benefit the target beneficiaries.
He also urged the participants to fully advantage of the training to acquire the requisite skills at the end of the training.
“As duty bearers tasked with the formulation, implementation and management of projects and programmes, I entreat you to pay great attention to the presentations to get the best out of the training.
“It is my fervent hope that at the end of this training, participants would gain in-depth knowledge on Public Procurement Management of Donor Funded Projects within the context of World Bank Procurement Regulations, so that you appreciate your role in the entire process” he added.
