The Rai Coast District Development Authority (RDDA) successfully convened its final Board Meeting at Kulel Village, Ward 8, Astrolabe Bay Local-Level Government. Situated amidst the majestic mountains at the headwaters of the Minjeng River, Kulel Village provided a fitting backdrop for this significant event. From the where the road ends at Yawar Village, it is a 3-5 hour walk, depending on your pace, crisscrossing the Minjeng River, which was flooded then.
Hosting DDA Board Meetings in villages fulfills the requirements of the District Development Authority Act 2014, which mandates that:
- DDA Board Meetings must be conducted within the District’.
- Meetings must be open to the public for observation.
By holding meetings in villages rather than towns, we ensure that the limited funds available are spent within the community—supporting local accommodation, meals, and security—rather than flowing to large, established businesses.
This approach not only fosters local economic activity but also reinforces our commitment to grassroots governance, transparency, and accountability. It allows us to bring decision-making closer to the people we serve, ensuring our work, budget allocations, and decisions reflect their needs and priorities.
DDA House at Kulel Village
The people of Kulel and neighboring villages in Ward 8 warmly welcomed the meeting. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Andrew Tekmai for leading the preparations, as well as Carol Sumbrai and the rest of the community leaders for their dedication in making this event a success.
Pastor praying at the ground breaking ceremony of Community Health Post
We are especially thankful to the host community for constructing the DDA House—a beautiful and functional meeting facility—along with additional guest houses to accommodate delegates and visitors from the four LLGs. A notable mention goes to the large delegation of Councillors from Saidor LLG, whose presence added great value to the occasion.
The Board took the opportunity to launch the Ward’s Christmas Games, inaugurate a Lutheran Church, and conduct a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a community health post. Additionally, we committed to completing an unfinished house intended for the local healthcare worker.
Inside the DDA Meeting House
Key Board Decisions and Updates:
- Project Implementation Progress: Achieved an 80% completion rate despite challenges posed by service delivery in remote areas and delays in fund disbursement.
- Scholarship Support Enhancement: Approved an increase in the scholarship budget from K500,000 to K1 million. Strict processes and guidelines will govern disbursement, including letters of support from Ward Members or Pastors and references for consideration. Priority will be given to students from Rai Coast whose parents reside in the district. RDDA will provide a uniform K3,000 support package for eligible students not benefiting from other schemes.
- Commitment to Health and Education Services: Reinforced support for services in remote and hard-to-reach areas, including plans to develop road access to Ward 12 and Ward 8 of Astrolabe Bay LLG—key cocoa-producing areas in the district.
Looking ahead, our next DDA Board meeting will be held in Tauta, Ward 5, Nahu Rawa LLG.
We remain dedicated to strengthening governance, improving service delivery, and fostering sustainable development throughout Rai Coast District.
Naru Kin.. Mete.. Doing great for the people of Rai Coast. That is a way of transparent leadership so the people will at least have the knowledge on where and how their money is spent.. People Lack such knowledge for decade and were in a total darkness. Now we are seeing a light at the end of a tunnel .. Appreciat the work..
Me and my family are very very happy with this small steps doing big impacts transforming our beautiful Rai Coast District.
God Bless your Leadership.