Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, has challenged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to tap their numerous resources to enhance socio-economic development in their areas.
He said though the assemblies were facing a lot of challenges, there were tremendous opportunities and resources, which when effectively utilized could improve the living standards of people in the assemblies.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah threw the challenge when he addressed the chiefs, heads of departments and assembly members at Donkorkrom in the Kwahu-North District on Tuesday as part a five-day visit to the Eastern Region.
He indicated that the potentials in the Kwahu-North District, which is one of the biggest district's in the country with an area of 5,044 square kilometers, has a lot of resources, which could be tapped to produce a lot of foodstuffs, vegetables, livestock and fish to feed people in the West Africa sub-region.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah urged the Kwahu North Assembly to make effective use of government and donor assistances from the Africa Development Bank (ADB) and the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).
The Deputy Minister observed that only 20 percent of resources from the Volta Lake were being utilized while seven percent of the land was under cultivation.
He said that was the reason why government was seeking foreign financial assistance to provide the needed infrastructure like roads, electricity, portable water and classroom blocks to woo investors to tap the agricultural potentials in the district.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah said Government had put in place a systematic strategic plan since it assumed office leading to the stabilization of the cedi; reduce inflation and budget deficit to enhance socio-economic development of the people.
He indicated that Government was committed to the process of the single spine salary structure for the benefit of all public sector workers.
The District Chief Executive of the area, Mr Evans Charles-Apraku, said 58 Farmer-Based Organization (FBO), had been trained out of which 21 were supported with loans totaling GH�21,334,985 to undertake foodstuffs and livestock production in the district.
He said a number of feeder roads were being constructed to open up the area for the farmers to send their produce to the marketing centers. In addition he said crops, grains and livestock markets were also being constructed at Maame Krobo, Tease and Donkorkrom to enable farmers to market their produce.
Mr Apraku said 582 people had been employed under the various modules under the National Youth Employment Programme while 250 people were engaged to undertake afforestation projects at Maame Krobo, Mem-Chefre, Somsei and Agortime.
He said MiDA, the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA), the World Vision International (WVI) and the assembly were constructing a number of basic school structure to improve standard of education.
The DCE appealed for the re-construction of the Akyem-Amanfrom to Agordeke trunk road and also ensure early release of the District Assembly Common Fund to finance development projects.
The Deputy Minister later inspected a number of on-going projects such as school building, markets, roads and water reservoir in some of the communities.