The Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Mr. Charles Hodogbe has lauded government's efforts to reactivate the Aveyime Quality Grain project in the Volta Region and said the successful take off of the project will create a positive image for the NPP government. The MP said the project would go a long way to bring back smiles on the faces of the numerous unemployed youth in the area as it would create employment for them which he noted would definitely promote the general socio-economic activities in the area. Mr. Hodogbe, who said this when he addressed the 52nd annual Apenorto festival of the Chiefs and people of the Mepe Traditional Area at Mepe-Dugame last Saturday however disclosed that the Quality Rice project would start in September 2007 as the memorandum of understanding has been signed by Prarie Texas a US based company. The MP however noted any further delay in the execution of the project would not only lead to total disappointment of the people but also result in the situation where equipment for the project would rust and deteriorate thereby reduce the value of the equipment to the disadvantage of the state. Mr. Hodogbe said the implementation of the project would also help in revamping of the building industry as more housing accommodations would be put up for workers adding that trade in general, would significantly improve with special reference to petty trading thereby reducing poverty among the people. He said the smooth take off of the project should be the basis for which imported rice should be stopped with support of other locally produced rice noting that the continuous importation of foreign rice would undermine the concept of promotion of local industries and initiatives. The MP stressed that the implementation of the Quality Grain project would end the long disagreement between the opposition and the minority about the project because it has always been the case as the NDC protest against the delay in the implementation of the project in view of its socio-economic importance to the nation. Contributing, the District Chief Executive for the area Mr. Moses Asem assured the people of government's preparedness to accelerate development in the area because it was government’s concern to adopt all forms of tactics that would be of economic importance to the people particularly in the areas of job creation and poverty reduction in the country. The North Tongu DCE continued that the District Assembly has embarked on a number of development projects in the areas of education, health, agriculture and youth employment all geared towards uplifting the standard of living of the people. Mr. Asem announced that the Mafi-Dove junction road through Mepe-Degorme to Mepe-Dugame has been awarded for tarring as well as other road networks in the District to help promote transportation in the area and also to open up the District to investors. He therefore urged the people to embrace government projects in its quest of ensuring equal development in the country. Source: The Chronicle