Nalerigu: A total of 51 development projects have been completed in the North East Region as part of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project. Mr Yidana Zakaria, North East Regional Minister, announced this at a press briefing in Nalerigu, highlighting the transformation these projects have brought to the beneficiary communities across various sectors.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Zakaria emphasized the substantial investments made under the SOCO project since 2023, which have directly impacted the well-being of the people in the region. He detailed that the education sector has seen the construction of nine schools, while the health sector has benefited from eight new health facilities. Additionally, nine rural markets, two rural roads, 18 water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, and four youth development projects have been implemented.

Mr Zakaria further noted that in 2024, over 89 sub-projects are underway in the region. These projects include 23 school infrastru
ctures, five CHPS Compounds, 18 social infrastructures, 39 WASH facilities, one Fire Service Bungalow, and three equipment and other supplies. The SOCO project is being executed by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, with funding from the World Bank, aiming to ensure community resilience.

He also mentioned that the SOCO project focuses on strengthening social cohesion, peace, and unity, in addition to infrastructure and economic development. Mr Alhassan Osman, Community-Driven Development Specialist for the SOCO Project, highlighted that the projects were community-driven, selected by the community members themselves. Madam Elizabeth Dwamena, Communications Specialist for the SOCO Project, appealed to the media for accurate publicity regarding the impact and achievements of the SOCO projects.