The Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has called for effective collaboration with the media, especially state-owned media in the Region to ensure effective execution of government business in the Western Region.

He said several projects, programmes, Initiatives and interventions were ongoing in the region which are aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of the people and that the people needed to buy into them and make good use of the opportunities available.

The Minister however noted that this could only be achieved if the media focused on them and informed the public accordingly.

Mr Darko-Mensah said this during an engagement with Editors and Managers of State-owned media operating in the Region at his office in Sekondi.

It was to strengthen the relationship between the RCC and the media to project the investment potentials of the region.

Mr Darko-Mensah enumerated some development projects the region was benefitting from and also explained some government policies, programmes and social interventions.

The managers and Editors used the opportunity to deliberate on challenges hampering the effective delivery of their mandate to the Region Minister

The challenges included the inadequate flow of information, lack of logistics and personnel of which Mr Darko-Mensah said he would address those within the reach of his limit and promised to liaise with the government to address the rest of the issues.

The Regional Minister lauded the government's policy on the year of roads which he said had resulted in the upgrading and construction of many roads in the Region.

According to him, all the 14 Districts, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies in the Region were beneficiaries of either a new or an upgraded road.

The Minister said many of the roads including the 245 KMs of roads across the length and breadth of Nzema East District were at various stages of completion.

He said many of the road contracts were for 24 months completion duration and that come next year the Region would open up with very good and motorable roads that would attract investors to the Region.

Mr Darko-Mensah indicated that the Region was a beneficiary of several government interventions including, six District hospitals under agenda 111
project.

He said the Nzema East District Sea defence wall, fishing harbour and sports stadium were being constructed.

He said in addition asphaltic concreting of 6.5km Esiama-Nkroful- Teleku -Bokazo road was being worked on as well as the one million US Dollars upgrading and expansion of Charlotte Dolphins NVTi campus at sanzule.

The Regional Minister said a sports stadium was being constructed at Amenfi East with the 65.5 Km Bawdie-Dankyeria Asikuma and the 55 km Adesu-wuratram roads ongoing.

In the Ahanta West Municipality, he said a Sea defence wall was being constructed to protect New-Amanful, Funko and Dixcove communities, adding that a fishing harbour was being built at Dixcove.

He said in addition the Municipality was a beneficiary to 50,000 Oil palm seedlings under the PERD project, Skill training of over 1,500 Youth and the provision of 2,665 pieces of school furniture.

Mr Darko-Mensah said a 40-bed capacity polyclinic at Elubo, 49 km main road from Samenye barrier to Jaway Wharf and a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Ezinlibo all in the Jomoro Municipality were at various stages of completion.

He said in addition an Articulator Terminal was being constructed at Elubo, three -Unit classroom blocks at Mpeasem and a CHP Compound at New Kabenlasuazo.

The Wassa Amenfi West Municipality, he said was benefitting from a Polyclinic at Wassa Dunkwa, an Ultra-Modern Municipal education office and 15 km Suedo-sureso Nkwanta road.

In the Ellembelle District a fish market is being constructed at Aiyinase, an Ultra-Modern Community Centre at Akoto and a 5-Unit classroom block with the furniture as well as 10 computer ICT centres in five communities.

The Regional Minister said the Nzema East District benefitted from a modern DVLA office, Cassava processing centre and classroom block, office and an ICT centre for the Yediyelele JHS.

He said Wassa Akropong has a new Slaughterhouse, a six-unit classroom at Marfo, a six-unit block at Moseaso, a Police post at Nkonya and a five-unit classroom block at Wasa Abrashia.

The Amenfi Central District benefitted from a market and bridge at Manso Amenfi, Manso Amenfi SHS (first SHS in Amenfi Central) as well as the upgrading of Manso Amenfi NVTI.

Others are Amenfi Central District Police Headquarters, Bonuama Polyclinic and a six-unit Roman Catholic Basic school at Adjakaa-Manso.

Mpohor District benefitted from a Science Laboratory for Mpohor SHS, Police Station with accommodation for Six Police Officers at Manso, 75-acre Palm plantation farm and 25-acre cocoa farm.

In the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality the Prestea and Himan inner-city roads were being asphalted, construction of Municipal Polyclinic at Bogoso and Science Laboratories for Prestea, Bogoso and Huni valley SHS.

In addition, an Ultra-Modern Computer lab has been provided for all basic schools within the Municipality, as w3ell as Palm and Gari Processing Plants as well as the Construction of four -CHIP compounds with nurses’ quarters for Gyimakrom, Atwereboada, Insu-Siding and Ehyireso communities.

Wassa East District benefitted from the Construction of 52km Roads from Brofoyedur - Ateiku, Damang -Ateku and the Ateiku-Anyinase Junction.

Narubiz Rubber processing factory and Daboase St Martin's School Park.

Others are Wassa East Quarry (turning mining waste rocks into construction aggregates), expansion of annual Cocoa Seedling supply from 350,000 in 2017 to 1.5m seedlings in 2020 as well as facilitating over 3,000 youth dropouts to acquire livelihood skills and setting up two skill centres in the District.

In the Tarkwa -Nsueam Municipality a Senior High School and Polyclinic were being constructed at Nsuaem, an Oil Processing Factory at Dompim and a School of Petroleum and Administration Block at UMaT.

Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality got an Asphaltic overlay of 2.6-metres road at the cocoa villa, Kojo Kumi Kwesimintsim 500-meter storm drain and a Six-unit classroom block at Good shepherd Anglican primary school at Effia Kuma.

In the Shama District, the Regional Minister said the Assembly got a modern Business Resource Centre serving four districts situated at Inchaban, Potable Water Project (4.5 km) from Daboase Junction to Supomu, 72 units market stalls at Inchaban and a modern office complex for National Health Insurance Authority at Shama.

Others include a Health Centre with semi-detached nurses’ quarters at Komfueku, a Health Centre with semi-detached nurses’ quarters at Yabiw and the rehabilitation of the District Magistrate Court and two additional offices with ancillary facilities at Shama.