Authorities of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) have begun engaging farmers in the guinea fowl project, which sparked severe controversy and allegations of corruption. SADA has been in the news for the wrong reasons following investigations that it has invested 15 million cedis into a Guinea fowl project which does not have much to show by way of evidence. The Authority also spent GH¢32.298 million on afforestation project in the north – an investment that has widely been criticised as extravagant and blown up. But on Sunday July 14 SADA officials assisted farmers in the Northern regional capital, Tamale, with tools that would facilitate progress of the project. Upper West Regional correspondent, Rafiq Salam, who visited two of the farms in the regional capital, Wa, to follow up on progress of the project reported that SADA was still in partnership with Asongtaba Cottage Industry and Exchange Programme, to raise guinea fowls in commercial quantities. Rafiq Salam also reports that a contractor has begun work on a two-and-half acre piece of land which will be used for a processing plant, an administrative block and other related facilities. Asongtaba Cottage Industry and Exchange Programme has engaged four farmers with experience and the relevant facilities in the guinea fowl production to raise guinea fowls given to them within 8 months. Edward Yenli, one of the farmers tasked with the production of 1,000 guinea fowls within the 8 month period says, he collects guinea fowl eggs from smaller farmers to hatch in his incubator. Another farmer who has been contracted to raise 1,200 birds also said work was progressing steadily. All the farmers are optimistic about the project and expressed enthusiasm about their involvement with it. In a related development, the Finance Committee in Parliament is expected to visit the sites of the SADA Asongtaba Guinea Fowl Production and Marketing Company Limited to assess work done on the project. Chairman of the Committee, James Avedzi told Joy News the Committee will visit the project sites in Northern, Upper East and West Regions, when Parliament goes on recess. The purpose of the project is to commercialise the production of guinea fowls using the out grower system to provide jobs for some 1,500 youth and women out growers who will be developed and equipped to produce over 250,000 guinea fowl birds annually over a five year period - according to the a statement from the project managers. Meanwhile, the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) says it has made progress with investigations into the suspicious expenditure involved in the projects. Information gathered by Joy News from the Commission suggests all documents covering the project have been studied and project directors are being interviewed. The Commission is expected to publish a preliminary report soon.