The Central Regional Minister, Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, has called on the clergy, Imams and chiefs to use their platforms to educate the public on the need to desist from activities that destroy the environment.
He said there was a need to use these platforms because they were powerful mediums that could reach large numbers of people and help bring about attitudinal change.
Mr Okyere made the call at an accountability forum organised by the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly to explain how its share of the 2025 District Assemblies’ Common Fund was utilised and receive feedback from residents to inform further action to improve their livelihoods.
The Minister said Assemblies would not have to spend 10 per cent of the Common Fund on waste collection if pulpits and mosques were effectively used to educate people against littering and indiscriminate dumping of waste.
“Let us change our behaviour to retain the Common Fund allocated for sanitation for more developmental projects, particularly in the education and health sectors,” he implored.
The Minister said successes were not achieved in a vacuum but through planning and hard work, noting that the government was undertaking programmes, projects and innovations aimed at improving the lives of citizens despite the challenges it inherited.
He appealed to the people of the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency to continue to support the Assembly, the Member of Parliament for the area and the government to execute more projects and programmes to improve their living conditions.
The District Chief Executive for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Mrs Olivia Bentil, said the district’s vision was to become a leading district in improving the quality of life through wealth creation, sustainable development programmes and good governance.
She said the projection from the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) put the district’s population at approximately 143,780, with 32 electoral areas, eight towns and area councils.
On revenue, she said that in 2025, the Assembly budgeted GH¢26,779,269.20 and received GH¢14,624,616.00 as its share of the Common Fund.
She said the Assembly adhered strictly to the guidelines for utilisation of the fund and executed projects and initiatives in accordance with government directives.
Mrs Bentil said GH¢3,656,154.00, representing 10 per cent of the fund, was used for ongoing construction works on a 24-hour market.
She said GH¢1,462,461.60 each was allocated to health, water, the environment and furniture, while GH¢5,288,114.22, representing five per cent, was allocated to administration. A further GH¢2,024,193.78, representing 20 per cent, was allocated to legacy projects.
The DCE said priority projects executed included government flagship programmes, the design and construction of 24-hour economy model markets at Kojo Mensahkrom, two CHPS compounds at Ato Dauda and Otabilkwaa, and KG, primary and JHS blocks at Amoanda, Ofabir and Okukrom.
Other projects included 12 mechanised boreholes at Amoanda, Fakenko, Nyansekyre, Anwhiam, Brakwa Eshiem, Papa Okyere, Awarebegu, Asarekwaa, Odoben SHS, Sarekwaa, Kuntenase and Asikafuor Abantem.
There were also environmental sanitation activities, including solid and liquid waste management across the district, as well as the supply of 300 mono desks and 300 dual desks.
Legacy projects completed or undertaken included two KG blocks each at Odoben, Kuntenase and Anwhiam; the renovation of a CHPS compound at Asikuma; and projects involving the District Assembly Block, Ambulance Service Block and a magistrate’s bungalow.
Other projects included the construction of a six-unit classroom block at Breman Okukrom, a two-unit classroom block at Breman Ofabir, a two-unit KG block with ancillary facilities at Amoanda, and a one-storey surgical theatre at Our Lady of Grace Hospital.
She said the Member of Parliament for the area, Anthony Kobina Ghansah, supported the construction of a children’s ward at Brakwa Health Centre and a 12-seater water-closet toilet at Breman Senior High School, among other initiatives, with his share of the Common Fund.
Nana Osa Fori III, the Chief of Brakwa, who chaired the event, thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the projects being executed to improve the lives of residents.
Nana Fori also commended the Assembly and the MP for the numerous projects executed in 2025 with the district’s share of the Common Fund.
He appealed to the President, the MP and the District Assembly to consider other communities yet to benefit from development projects and urged residents to pay their taxes to enable more development projects and programmes to be undertaken in the area.
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