The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Nadowli-Kaleo in the Upper West Region, Hon. Mary Haruna, has commended the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and other prominent citizens for supporting infrastructure development and improving access to essential services in the district.
She also announced that the assembly had recruited 60 sanitation guards under its 24-hour economy sanitation initiative to improve cleanliness across communities, markets and major roads.
Madam Haruna disclosed this in an interview with members of the Parliamentary Press Corps on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after appearing before Parliament’s Local Government Committee.
She said the district had benefited from several development interventions, particularly in education, healthcare and sanitation, through the support of the Speaker, the area’s Member of Parliament and other stakeholders.
According to her, the district secured approximately eight educational infrastructure projects through the support of the Speaker and other development partners, including projects at three senior high schools.
At Sombo Senior High School, a boys’ dormitory and a kitchen were provided, while Senior High School benefited from a girls’ dormitory. Kaleo Senior High Technical School also received a 12-unit classroom block.
The DCE further cited the construction of a 12-unit classroom block at Sombo Catholic Primary School and additional educational facilities supported through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
These include classroom blocks at Kaha, Mweri, Pali and other communities, alongside a teachers’ bungalow and a kindergarten facility.
She said the interventions had significantly improved the district’s educational infrastructure and expressed gratitude to the individuals and institutions supporting the projects.
Madam Haruna also disclosed that the district had received 3,000 mono desks through the Speaker’s support, with an additional 2,000 expected to be delivered.
“Luckily, on our part, the Speaker also facilitated and we got uniforms for all our students in the district. Just before I came, I received 3,000 furniture, mono desks, courtesy of the Speaker. We are still waiting to pick up the 2,000 that are supposed to get to us any moment from now,” she said.
She expressed appreciation to the Speaker for his continued support, saying the interventions were helping address infrastructure and logistical challenges confronting schools in the district.
Assembly Completes Abandoned Projects The DCE said the assembly had also used portions of its District Assemblies Common Fund to complete abandoned projects inherited by the current administration.
She cited the completion of three-unit classroom blocks at Chang and Kuli-Yiri, as well as a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound at Papu.
She added that the district had completed the construction of a mortuary, which was awaiting the installation of refrigeration equipment before it could become operational.
“Currently, the district does not have a mortuary. We have just completed a mortuary, and the next phase is to fix the various fridges. We will soon be using it,” she said.
Madam Haruna further disclosed that the assembly was undertaking finishing works on several CHPS compounds that had been completed but remained unusable because of outstanding work.
She said the projects were being prioritised to improve access to healthcare, particularly for residents in underserved communities.
60 Sanitation Guards Deployed Under 24-Hour Economy Initiative On sanitation, the DCE announced the recruitment of 60 sanitation guards to support the assembly’s efforts to improve environmental cleanliness throughout the district.
She said the assembly had also procured sanitation equipment to support their operations, with arrangements being made to distribute the workers across the district’s seven area councils.
According to her, the initiative would be implemented in collaboration with environmental health officers, who would supervise the sanitation guards and coordinate their activities.
“We have employed the people. We have also procured the things, and we want to manage it in collaboration with the environmental health offices,” she explained.
Madam Haruna said the sanitation guards would be assigned to markets and major roads, among other public spaces, to ensure regular cleaning and improve environmental hygiene.
The district has several active markets, including those at Kaleo, Sombo, Tako, Sankana, Ngamvili, Nadowli and Tangasieye.
She explained that the initiative was intended to cover communities across the district rather than being concentrated in the district capital.
“Currently, we are on 60, but we are hoping to increase the numbers when the funds are available,” she said.
She added that the assembly would expand the programme as resources permitted, stressing that sanitation remained a key priority for local development.
Property Rate Collection to Boost Revenue Madam Haruna identified low revenue mobilisation, particularly resistance to property rate payments, as one of the challenges facing the assembly.
She said some residents were reluctant to pay property rates because they believed they should not be charged for houses they had built with their own resources.
However, she said the assembly had intensified community engagements to explain the importance of property rates in financing local development.
According to her, residents and property owners in several communities had expressed willingness to pay once the applicable rates were communicated to them.
“We succeeded in engaging them, and they are willing to make these payments,” she said, adding that the assembly had conducted the necessary assessments and was preparing to commence collection.
She expressed optimism that improved revenue mobilisation would provide additional resources for development projects and reduce the assembly’s dependence on statutory transfers.
New Soap Factory to Empower Women and Youth The DCE also announced plans to establish a soap production facility to add value to shea butter and other locally available raw materials, creating economic opportunities for women and young people.
She explained that although Nadowli-Kaleo produces shea nuts and processes them into shea butter, limited value addition has constrained the economic benefits available to local producers.
Madam Haruna said the assembly intended to use funds secured through a vulnerability support allocation to construct a soap-making facility equipped with the necessary machinery.
She expressed optimism that the initiative would create opportunities for women and young people to participate in local manufacturing, generate income and strengthen the district’s economy.
She described the proposed facility as an important step towards transforming locally available resources into finished products and expanding economic opportunities beyond traditional agricultural activities.
Madam Haruna reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to improving education, healthcare, sanitation and local economic development, while acknowledging the continued support of the Speaker of Parliament, the area’s MP and other development partners.
She said the assembly would continue working with stakeholders to address infrastructure gaps, improve revenue collection and create sustainable opportunities for residents across Nadowli-Kaleo.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
