THE UNITED STATES ON TUESDAY AWARDED A $547 MILLION ANTI-POVERTY GRANT TO GHANA IN ITS LARGEST GRANT YET MADE UNDER A TWO-YEAR-OLD INITIATIVE TO REWARD GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD0 U0S0 SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND PRESIDENT JOHN KUFUOR OF GHANA PRESIDED OVER THE SIGNING OF THE FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE U0S0 GOVERNMENT)S MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION /MCC/0 2TODAY REPRESENTS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF GHANA AND THEIR GOVERNMENT# RICE SAID ADDING THAT THE GRANT WAS 2THE LARGEST AND BY FAR THE MOST AMBITIOUS TO DATE# UNDER THE MCC0 U0S0 OFFICIALS SAID THE GRANT SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE MILLION POOREST RURAL GHANAIANS BY RAISING FARMER INCOMES THROUGH PRIVATE-SECTOR INITIATIVES0 AMBASSADOR JOHN DANILOVICH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE MCC SAID THE AGREEMENT WAS 2A TESTAMENT TO GHANA)S STRONG COMMITMENT TO GOOD GOVERNANCE AND BUILDING THE NECESSARY INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AID TO BE USED EFFECTIVELY0# DANILOVICH SAID $214 MILLION WOULD BE USED TO IMPROVE THE PROFITABILITY OF SMALL COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND $143 MILLION WOULD GO TOWARD REDUCING TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO FARMERS GETTING THEIR PRODUCE TO MARKET0 THE REMAINING $101 MILLION WILL BE SPENT TO EXPAND ACCESS TO EDUCATION WATER AND SANITATION0
