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NPP would strengthen Local
Government Concept – Apraku
Kumasi, Aug. 8, Ghanadot/GNA - The
next New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government would strengthen
the capacity of local government structures and the
chieftaincy institution to become vibrant agents for
effective rural development.
Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, a Leading Member of Election 2008
Campaign Team of NPP, who made the pledge said this was
based on the Party’s belief that a government close to the
people could serve them best.
He was speaking at a Rural Development Forum dubbed “My
Party’s Vision on Rural Development” organized by Bureau of
Integrated Rural Development (BIRD) of Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on
Thursday.
The forum was to enable political parties outline their
vision and plans for the nation that would afford the
citizenry an opportunity to make informed decision in
Election 2008.
Dr Apraku said NPP was committed to the provision of a more
responsible local government capable of delivering quality
services to their localities and became accountable to the
people.
On tourism, he said the Party would invest in infrastructure
around tourist sites, quality hotels and provide skilled
labour in the tourism industry.
Dr Apraku, who is also Member of Parliament for Offinso
North said the Party would maximize value of the nation’s
tourist sites, especially tourists attractions such as
festivals, games and parks and eco-tourism in rural areas.
He said the next NPP Government would ensure food security
and value addition to agricultural products by establishing
agro-based industries through Rural Enterprises Initiative
in every metropolitan, municipal or district, as well as
linkages between agricultural products and industry.
Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Member of Parliament for
Asawase and a Leading Member of National Democratic Congress
(NDC), said the next NDC Government would improve education,
health, agriculture and other sectors especially for rural
dwellers.
He said the measures were to make rural areas more
attractive to the youth to bridge the gap between urban and
rural development.
Alhaji Mubarak said it was unfortunate that in spite of
about 60 per cent of Ghana’s population living in rural
areas, there had not been any consistent programme to
improve on their living standards that had resulted in a
high rate of rural-urban drift especially among the youth.
He said the next NDC Government would inject adequate funds
towards building more roads, railway lines, classroom
blocks, hospitals, clinics and provide modern technology to
address post-harvest losses to ensure food sufficiency to
feed the people.
GNA
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