DFID and NDA discuss ‘Cities for Industrialisation Growth’ programme

By Albert Futukpor, GNA

Tamale, March 13, GNA - The Department for International Development (DFID) and the Northern Development Authority (NDA) have held discussions about the former’s impending Urban Development and Industrialisation Programme designed to among other things support economic growth.

This was when Madam Rubbina Karruna, Cities and Infrastructure Advisor for United Kingdom’s DFID West Africa and DFID Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive Officer of the NDA, Dr Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya at his office in Tamale.

Madam Karruna indicated that the courtesy call was a scoping visit to familiarise with the northern part of the country and to discuss with key strategic stakeholders like the NDA on potential cities for consideration in the Cities for Industrialisation Growth Programme.

The Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Programme is a new five-year multi-country DFID programme designed to support inclusive economic growth and job creation thus creating productive cities through urban development, improving access to reliable and affordable power and increasing investment into infrastructure services.

According to the World Bank, globally, 840 million people lived more than two kilometers from all-weather roads, one billion people lacked electricity, and four billion people lacked access to internet.

Access to basic infrastructure services was critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor.

Dr Anamzoya, on his part, pledged the NDA’s support to facilitate and house the programme for the northern part of the country to ensure success.

He said the programme fitted into his vision for the authority to ensure an all-year-round agriculture and agro-processing for industrialisation and job creation through value addition and enhanced entrepreneurship.

He spoke about the NDA’s master plan city plan, saying it would become the base document for the DFID programme and gave the assurance to liaise with traditional authorities in the area to release land for the programme.

He said the NDA was working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on a land bank project, which could become a cornerstone for access to land for investment.

GNA

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