The Amansie West District has been selected out of the 30 districts in the Ashanti Region as a model District of Excellence for Development and Research likely to be replicated across the country.
The selection by two international bodies follows its success story during the ‘Millennium Village Project’ between 2006 and 2015 which used Agric, health and education to reduce poverty in the district.
The two international bodies, Millennium Promise Ghana, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), and Duke Global Health Institute based in the United States of America (USA), are to collaborate to build a research centre this year to scale up the Millennium Village Project.
As part of the collaboration, students of Duke Global Health Institute would visit the district periodically in an exchange programme to research and impart knowledge to enhance the general developmental needs of the people.
20-acre parcel of land
Subsequently, the Paramount Chief of Manso Nkwanta in the district, Nana Bi Kusi Appiah II, has donated a 20-acre parcel of land for the project to take off.
The chief said he was moved by the massive improvement in the lives of his people following the first phase of the project.
The two-man Duke delegation made up of Professors Randall A. Kremer and Mary Story, as well as the Director of Finance and Administration for Millennium Promise, Mr David Webber, assured the chief of a world-class research centre on which Ghana’s district development agenda would be anchored.
CHPS Compound
In order to be convinced and encouraged to continue with the project, the team visited some of the seven Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds built across some of the deprived communities in the districts.
They included Datano Zone and Tontokrom which hitherto were recording high mortality rates from preventable diseases.
The well-stocked health facilities with laboratories and pharmaceutical units are headed by well-trained nurses and technicians who only refer difficult cases to designated hospitals.
The health segment of the three areas of development is under the supervision and support of the Ghana Health Services.
Country Director
The Country Director of Millennium Promise Ghana, Chief Nat Ebo Nsarko, said while awaiting funding to construct the modern facility, the offices of the first phase would be converted into a temporary research centre so that the process is not stalled.
He said the centre would help train other Ghanaians to help remould the other districts in a systematic manner.
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