Government committed to achieving rural development

Fielmua(U/R), Jan.17, GNA - The Sissala West District Chief Executiv= e, Mr Robert Baka Wavei, has reiterated the government's commitment to developing rural communities to make them attractive and possibly reduce rural urban drift.

He said agricultural modernization and industrial development and the Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP) were some of the programmes that would position the rural communities to become attractive areas. Mr Wavei said this during the celebration of the 93Kukur Baghr" Fes= tival of the chiefs and people of the Fielmua Traditional area at Fielmua in the Sissala West District.

He said as social democrats, the government believed its core programmes should centre on empowering the poor and not the rich. To this end, the President, during his recent visit to Tamale directed the Minister of Energy to ensure that all neglected communities were connected to the national grid under the SHEP programme. Mr Wavei said the accelerated agricultural modernization and industria= l development programme would ensure building dams and dugouts in the rural communities to promote irrigation farming and animal rearing. The hardworking youth, he said, must therefore be encouraged to stay a= t home to engage in all year round farming and animal rearing. This, he said, was the surest way to increase their income to meet their daily needs.