A total of 110 bicycles and six motorcycles worth 160 million cedis were presented to 49 area councils in the Volta Region on Friday under the auspices of the Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP). Six of the 49 Area Councils, whose performance was rated as high, each received a motorbike in addition to two bicycles. "The motor bikes are to serve as an attestation and token of CBRDPs' recognition of the seriousness, hard work and correct attitude exhibited by the 6 selected area councils in the performance of their duties and responsibilities", said Mr Kwaku Nayan, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, at the presentation ceremony in Ho. The six area councils were Kome, in the Keta District, Bowiri in the Jasikan District, Gbefi, in the Kpando District, Likpe, in the Hohoe District, Asukawkaw, in the Krachi-East District and Aflao-Wego, in the Ketu District. The criteria used in selecting the six were their responsiveness to CBRDP and other decentralization issues, functionality including holding meetings and record keeping and being proactive and supportive of district assemblies towards the functioning of area councils. Mr Nayan observed that the CBRDP initiated by the government with funding from the World Bank and the Agence Fraicaise de Development, constituted one of the important vehicles for the implementation of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II). He said the principal objective of the project was to build and strengthen the capacities of local government institutions at the national, district, area council and community levels to effectively and efficiently deliver, services, manage resources and ensure transparency and accountability. Mr Nayan said the CBRDP had earmarked 7.35 billion cedis as block grant (150 million cedis) each to the area councils towards implementing priority projects identified by their plans and that 2.8 billion cedis had already been disbursed to 31 councils with projects at various stages of implementation. He said the intention of government was to transform area councils into effective and efficient grassroots level local government structures to competently identify and manage local government issues. Source: GNA