Bimbilla (N/R), Sept 4, GNA - Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other development partners have been urged to co-ordinate their activities to avoid duplication and waste of resources.

Mr Salifu Sa-eed, Nanumba North District Chief Executive (DCE), noted that rivalry between NGOs undertaking similar projects aimed at poverty reduction in rural areas was impeding development.

The DCE stated these at a two-day sensitisation and awareness creation workshop at Bimbilla at the weekend organised by the Northern Regional Poverty Reduction Programme (NORPRED).

Participants at the workshop included MPs, DCEs, Presiding Members, District Co-ordinating Directors, Budget Officers, heads of decentralised departments and executives of NGOs from the Nanumba North and South and the East Gonja Districts.

The objective was to brief policy makers, senior staff of agencies, development partners, traditional authorities, the private sector and NGOs on their roles in the implementation of the goals of NORPRED.

Mr Sa-eed said NORPRED had plans to conduct a training programme in participatory planning at the district, area council and community levels in the region to source funding for projects.

He said the programme was abandoned when it was found out that UNICEF and IBIS had already developed Community Action Plans (CAPs) and Area Action Plans (AAPs) for the Yendi, Zabzugu/Tatale, Tolon/Kumbugu, Savelugu/Nanton and the East Gonja districts.

Mr Vincent Adzago Ntem, District Co-ordinating Director, said the workshop was designed to build the capacity of the stakeholders especially those involved in policy and administrative positions. He said implementing institutions would be exposed to participatory demand-driven and self-reliant approaches to be promoted under the programme.

The District Co-ordinating Director said the private sector and NGOs would also be oriented to reinforce the participatory approach. Mrs Amama K. Habib, a Human Resource Development Specialist, took the participants through the workshops objectives and capacity building. Mr Ahmed Mohammed, Chief Technical Advisor, also briefed the participants on the Community Development Fund.