Accra, Dec. 18, - Mr Kwasi
Boateng Adjei, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said
government has drafted a Rural Development Policy intended to provide a vehicle
to facilitate rural-urban linkages for sustainable development within the
country.
He said this policy was
formulated with the commitment to effectively coordinate interventions that are
designed to improve rural people’s standard of living by providing basic social
and economic services and by creating a political, legal, economic and social
environment, which will empower them to take charge of their own development.
“It would also focus on
agriculture, social service provision, industrialization, financial inclusion
and skills development as its drivers of change in Ghana.”
Mr Adjei said this at the opening
of the one-day stakeholders’ review and validation workshop on the Rural
Development Policy organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural
Development in Accra.
The rationale of the Policy is to
provide the right perspective, direction and effective coordination for rural
development for which government seeks to ensure delivery of the One District,
One Factory; Planting for Food and Jobs and One Village, One Dam initiatives.
The policy and its action plan is
also expected to provide an impetus to source funding for its implementation
and participants are to critically examine the six objectives and 30 strategies
developed within its thematic areas.
It is much informed with key
issues or challenges in the rural communities, including high incidence of
poverty, illiteracy and non-functioning of sub-district structures, out
migration, inadequate employment opportunities in rural areas and low
investment in infrastructure.
He said there were several
principles guiding the development of the policy, namely Constitutional
mandate, Decentralisation, Inter-sectoral Coordination and Partnerships,
Cultural Diversity and Sustainable development.
Mr Adjei said the ministry has
initiated the District Centre for Agriculture, Commerce and Technology as a
strategy to deliver industrialization and improvement in agriculture across the
country, especially in rural areas.
He said rural development efforts
had been with us since independence and in the past involved the construction
of community centres, provision of rural quarters and grading of farm roads
among others.
“Rural development has evolved
around efforts to improve standard of living of the rural dwellers and
governments over the years have made efforts to improve the standards of living
of the rural population.”
Mr Sylvanus Adzornu, Director of
Urban Development at the Ministry said the policy development process include
the establishment of a rural development task team at the Ministry and an Inter-Sectoral Technical
Committee with membership
from key Ministries, Departments
and Agencies, assessment of current situation and framework for rural
development through a review of literature and Preparation of a draft
policy and action plan proposal based on the outcome of the assessment of current situation and
literature review.
“Other process are, review of the
draft policy and action plan by a sub-technical committee, series of
consultations through cross-country fora with RCCs, MMDAs, Civil Society,
Development Partners, citizen groups and media.
Also, review of the draft policy
and action plan, based on the outcomes of cross-country consultations,
validation of the final reviewed policy and action plan, presentation to the
Inter-Sectoral Technical Committee for inputs and validation and submission to
Cabinet for consideration and approval.
He said the policy objectives was
to modernise agriculture for rural growth and development; provide quality socio-economic infrastructure and services in a decent and secured environment; maximise the
potential of rural areas towards rural enterprises development and
industrialisation and promote sustainable management and utilisation of natural
resources for the benefit of the rural population.
“It is also to promote financial
inclusion in rural communities and strengthen participation of the rural
communities in the formulation, planning, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of development plans and programmes within a decentralised
governance system.”
GNA
Caption: pictures attached.
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