Keta, Sept. 24, GNA - Professor Kwabena Konadu Oduro, Chairman of the Office of Accountability, has stated that the role of the District Chief Executive (DCE) is pivotal to the success or failure of government at the grassroots and the development of the entire country. He said national growth could only be achieved if DCEs would promote the image of government at the grassroots, not through words and slogans but deeds to gain the confidence of the people. Professor Oduro made the remark on Friday at Keta, where he led a five-member team of his office on a duty tour to the Keta District. He commended the Keta DCE, Mr Edward Kofi Ahiabor and the Assembly of good foresight in setting the pace in the implementation of some government initiatives.

Professor Oduro commended the take-off of the Youth in Agro Business component of the National Youth Employment Programme in the area in which about 270 youths in groups were assisted to set up and manage a total of 105 acres of farms even before the arrival of the funds meant for the project.

The team interacted with the youth on a number of farms visited, which are using the Tube Well Irrigation scheme, with water drawn from underground by motor.

Other areas toured included flooded farms in and around Anloga and the Keta Sea Defence Project. The team could not find time to observe the harvest on a 90-acre cowpea farm cropped under the youth programme, the produce of which the Assembly would purchase for use in the Schools Feeding Programme in the District.

"I have not met any district yet, which has started this programme and my team is impressed by all we saw and hope other DCEs would take a cue from Mr Ahiabor," Professor Oduro said. He said the Office of Accountability would execute its oversight responsibility to the latter and would also remain non-political to win the confidence of all.

Mr Ahiabor, the DCE said that the youth were being mobilised for other components of the Youth Employment Programme. He said the Agro-Business chapter was started with the Assembly's Poverty Alleviation Fund as the immediate alternative fund, while it waited for the fund allocated for the project.