The Vice Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission, Mr David Quaye Annang, has disclosed that the African Development Bank has provided about $80 million grant to support agricultural development in the five regions of the north.
This move seeks to help improve productivity, increase the incomes of farmers and improve nutrition for families.
He disclosed this at a Regional Development Forum in Tamale.
He stated that the grant compliments the numerous interventions made by past governments, development partners and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) over the years to improve access to livelihood opportunities in the northern part of Ghana.
“Notable among them are the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP), the Ghana Community-Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) and Shea Nut Processing and Marketing Partnerships have been undertaken in Northern Ghana over the years,” he stated.
He, however, noted that the impact of these interventions has been hindered by the lack of coordination and a fragmented approach towards implementation.
He stated that it was against this backdrop that the NDPC and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development organized the forum to initiate a conversation on the development challenges to proffer policy recommendations.
“Another objective is to utilize the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project as a foundational platform to enhance resilience and specifically identify solutions in response to the challenges posed by climate change,” he added.
He hinted that the NDPC would play a lead role in identifying key actions for the achievement of needed development.
“We can achieve these by paying attention to the multiple dimensions of sustainable development including climate, health, agriculture, investment, peace and security. To effectively measure progress, the NDPC will play a lead role in identifying key actions for the achievement of the needed development,” he noted.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Mr Daniel Botwe, said: “The deliberations here would go a long way to inform policy and fashion out appropriate measures to surmount challenges being faced decentralization agenda.”
Mr Botwe opined that the mapping of all development interventions in the MMDAs and pictorial illustrations with support from the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) and the Physical Planning Officers in all the MMDAs would be vital to harmonize development in Northern Ghana.
“This, once carried out properly, will serve as a blueprint for the execution of all programmes and projects in the MMDAs as per Section 12(5) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936),” he noted.
Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran, ISD
