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Mrs. Lucy Awuni, the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, has commended the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) for contributing to to national development. She said this at the GRCS National Mothers Club Annual Congress held in Bolgatanga in the Region on Tuesday. Mrs Awuni said the GRCS, in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross, the Red Crescent Societies and the Department of Rural Housing constructed about 320 houses in five districts in the three northern regions in 2007 for flood victims whose houses collapsed. In addition, the GRCS gave relief items ranging from food supplies to non-food items to the victims of the flood disaster. She said the 900 Red Cross Mother clubs of the GRCS in the Region that have a total membership of 12,000 mothers, had in the past been playing very supportive roles by spreading health messages on malaria prevention, bed net use, sanitation and child survival to communities particularly the remote areas. They also advocate for change against harmful cultural practices like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), widowhood rites and organise children for immunization. They also refer pregnant women to health facilities for antenatal and postnatal services. Mrs. Awuni appealed to the Red Cross Mother Clubs to include the preaching of peace into their programmes in the three northern regions particularly Bawku and also focus more on sanitation and environmental degradation issues by educating the people about the harmful effects of these practices. She assured the club members that Government would continue with the poverty alleviation programme through the operation of the Micro-Finance and Small Loan Centre (MASLOC) and appealed to the women to take advantage of the package and access loans to undertake viable economic activities to reduce poverty. The President of the GRCS, Mr. Kobina Mantey Bosompem, said the society would embark on intensive peace education in Bawku to help restore peace to the area, intensify its efforts in combating desertification and curbing bad sanitation practices. The President of the Mother Club, Ms. Miriam Elsie Adum-Atta, said the congress would be used to review the activities of the past look at progress so far and plan for the future.