A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Resiliency in Northern Ghana Project (RING) and seven District Assemblies in the Northern Region.

The signing paves the way for the assemblies to receive a total amount of GHc 3,480, 071.68 to implement a number of programmes and activities geared towards improving the livelihood and nutrition status of vulnerable households in those districts.

RING is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project focused on poverty reduction to improve the nutrition and livelihood status of vulnerable households in Northern Region through agriculture, livelihood and WASH, nutrition, good governance and community engagement.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Tamale, the Northern Regional Coordinating DirectorAlhaji Issahaku Alhassan praised the USAID for the RING initiative which is geared towards complementing the Government of Ghana’s efforts at ensuring a healthy population through quality nutrition.

Alhaji Alhassan said the RING project was one of the unique and results-driven projects in the region and urged all the 7 beneficiary districts to be mindful of the goals of the project and draw experiences from past projects and interventions to guide them to successfully implement their activities under RING. He also reminded the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that the success of the RING project depended much on the hard work the assemblies will exhibit.

The Chief of Party of RING, Philippe Lemay commended the MMDA’s for exhibiting a high sense of commitment in the implementation of the RING project activities and urged them further accelerate the pace of activities implementation to make the project achieve its goal of improving the livelihoods and nutrition status of vulnerable households in Northern Region. Mr. Lemay, said RING will continue to strengthen its partnership with Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) as well as provide the MMDAs the needed technical support to effectively implement their selected activities and programmes.

Speaking on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, The East Gonja District Chief Executive, Mohammed Amin Lukman said the RING project has helped East Gonja district to design programmes and activities specifically targeting vulnerable households especially women through agriculture, nutrition, WASH and small ruminants production.

The seven beneficiary districts are; East Gonja, Gushegu, Karaga, Kpandai, North Gonja, Sagnerigu and Kumbungu districts.