Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, says the region is receiving its fair share of national transformative and development interventions that are shaping the landscape of communities in the area. He said the government's commitment to infrastructure projects, economic empowerment, and social interventions was unwavering, and new initiatives were unfolding, laying the groundwork for the region to thrive in all facets of the economy. He was giving updates on the state of the region, when he addressed the 67th Independence Day parade, held at Sekondi. The day was celebrated on the theme: 'Our Democracy Our Pride'. According to Mr Darko-Mensah, the government had implemented a number of projects that had positively impacted all the sectors of the local economy. Speaking on education, he stated that since 2017, the government had expanded educational facilities like dining halls, dormitories, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres, classroom blocks and libraries in across the various schools in the region. He said: 'Notable are the 300 capacity girls dormitory block for Huni Valley Senior High School (SHS) funded by Goldfields Foundation, and 400 capacity girl's dormitory block at Annor Adjaye SHS funded by Tullow Ghana. 'There is an ongoing boys dormitory block for Takoradi SHS and girls dormitory block for Methodist SHS, and boys and girls dormitory at Bompeh Secondary Technical School all funded by Tullow Ghana.' The Regional Minister, however, indicated that there were a number of uncompleted school projects which the government had put measures in place to complete them by end of this year. In terms of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, Mr Darko-Mensah noted that the Western Region had benefitted from programmes, where STEM centres had been built in Fijai SHS and Ghana Secondary Technical School. He said plans were advanced to resource the centres with computers, smart boards and other necessary equipment to facilitate the STEM programme in the Region. On the Free SHS, he indicated that the policy increased SHS enrolment from 57, 596 in 2017 to a cumulative figure of 467, 905 in 2023. The Western Regional Minister said despite the increase in enrolment, the implementation of the Free SHS/ Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) had also improved upon the quality of education, and that, the government was determined to strengthen the programme to benefit more students. Touching on local economic development, Mr Darko-Mensah noted that the region had made significant strides in achieving more with regards to the government's flagship One-District One-Factory (1D1F) policy, saying it was progressively generating income for the people. According to him, six companies were currently in full operation giving employment to the teeming youth in the region. They are; KEDA Ceramics Company in Shama, NARUBIZ Company at Dompim, GREL Company in Agona-Nkwanta, GKV Investment Company in Eshiem, Amenfi Farms Limited and Fatala Ghan a Limited. On transportation and other infrastructure projects, the Western Regional Minister mentioned the Takoradi Habour Expansion, Western Railway Line Rehabilitation, Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Development, Western Region Water Supply, Paa Grant Dualization of Sekondi-Takoradi link road, Agona Nkwanta to Tarkwa Road, Takoradi Market Circle and GNPC Operation Headquarters as some of the projects the government had invested in. Mr Darko-Mensah gave the assurance that the government was committed to completing the Takoradi Market Circle Redevelopment project and other abandoned projects in the region. 'In the same vein, we are in contact with the Ministry of Roads and Highways to consider the completion of the following priority roads in the region: Takoradi (PTC) Interchange; Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta dual carriage, Apowa-Mpohor, Bawdie-Asankragwa, Bogoso-Prestea, Gwira-Samenyi-Half-Assini, Shama Junction-Shama to Aboadze, Asankragwa to Sefwi-Bekwai and Asankragwa to Sameraboi as well as Watrem to Adjakamanso,' he indicated. Touching on health, he mentioned that pursuant to the Zero Malaria agenda, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service had unveiled the National Malaria Elimination Plan (NMESP) 2024-2028 with the aim of completely eradicating malaria in Ghana. On agriculture, he said, the Regional Department of Agriculture was currently implementing the E-Extension, Rearing for Food and Jobs, and the Planting for Food and Jobs Phase Two as part of efforts to improve food security in the country, while creating jobs in the agricultural value chain. The region would continue to work hard to safeguard agriculture production through the government's flagship programmes, the Regional Minister said. On issues of security, Mr Darko-Mensah noted that the region was peaceful and commended the security services for their alertness and professionalism in ensuring the relative serenity the region was enjoying. He also applauded the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and other partners for supporting the government to implement sustainable policies meant to bring development in the region. Source: Ghana News Agency