OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release USAID & World Bank pledged $100m for agric … As gov’t remains hopeful of SADA’s success The Office of the Vice President has in a statement clarified that the USAID commitment to the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) amounts to $60 million and will focus on the development of commercial agriculture in the SADA regions. A statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor explained that the USAID and World Bank confirmed a total of $100 million in commitments to financing agricultural expansion during a meeting with Vice President John Mahama. $40 million of the amount will be dedicated to the Accra Plains Irrigation Project. While apologizing for the mix-up in the figures, Mr. Jinapor noted that government expects the support for the agriculture sector especially in the SADA regions to help boost the planned focus on agribusiness in the area. The Vice President noted during the meeting that the success of government’s SADA initiative could see a reversal of the current rural-urban migration in favour of the Northern regions of Ghana. In a meeting with the Administrator of USAID, Dr. Rajiv Shah, in Washington DC, VP Mahama explained that SADA is aimed at positioning the Savanna regions of Ghana as potential investment destinations by improving on infrastructure and offering other incentives necessary for business growth. On the financing of some major roads described as the ‘gang of four’, the statement explained that the World Bank has agreed to government’s plans to prioritize its infrastructural projects and will be sending a team this week to discuss financing options for the Legon- Adenta, Achimota- Ofankor, Nsawam bypass- Apedwa and Kumasi Sofoline road projects. The Vice President of the Africa Region of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, expressed the willingness of the Bank to work with the Government of Ghana to raise the required amount of between $250million and $350million to complete the projects. The statement explained that the $400 million mentioned in media reports was in reference to funds already committed to the Transport Sector Improvement Project. Oby Ezekwesili requested the assistance of the Vice President to speed up disbursements under the project. JOHN ABDULAI JINAPOR SPOKESPERSON TO THE VICE PRESIDENT THE CASTLE- OSU [Monday June 20, 2011]