By Emmanuel Mensah Abludo.
The Northern Ghana Development Summit has reaffirmed its political neutrality and willingness to collaborate with successive governments and development partners, including the Private Sector to develop the regions in the North.
The Forum observed that Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, MMDAs lack resources to create a conducive environment for Private Sector Participation to engender development of Northern Ghana.
The participants, therefore, recommended that the government initiate appropriate measures to allow MMDAs to raise funds locally through Municipal bonds.
The recommendation is contained in a communiqué issued at the just ended Northern Ghana Development Summit held in Jirapa in the Upper West Region.
Issues that came under the microscope during the forum ranged from Education, Health, Peace and Security, Investment in Socio-Economic Infrastructure to Agriculture and Climate change.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih who read the Communique made some recommendations.
“On generating domestic resources for investment in critical infrastructure, we recommend that the government put in place appropriate mechanisms to allow Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to raise funds locally through such innovative ways as municipal bonds, and improving coordination between MMDAs and the relevant Ministries to be able to raise the needed capital to in critical infrastructure such as roads”.
Touching on Agriculture and climate change, the summit said it recognises the great potential of the sector (agriculture) and its ability to be a game-changer for employment and sustainable development in Northern Ghana.
”We recommend that, in addition to existing government flagship projects in Agriculture, more Investments should be made into modernizing agriculture to improve yields and attract the youth to the sector. Government to facilitate the adoption of improved seeds, farm mechanization technology to reduce post-harvest losses”.
The forum expressed appreciation to successive governments for the policies and programs implemented to accelerate the development of Northern Ghana. It equally praised development partners for their unwavering support in addressing the challenges of the North.
Executive Director of Star Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim Tanko Amidu suggested the organisation of thematic Summits that will take the conversations at the forum into granular details that are needed for pragmatic and effective implementation.