Sunyani, June 2, GNA - Mr David A. Nsor, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Department of Community Development, has expressed regret that that the department, apart from administrative challenges, was also confronted with several operational difficulties at the regional and district levels.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency he said the department's administrative challenges were in terms of logistics and human deployment nationwide.

"There is lesser emphasis on the functional usage of community development by district and municipal assemblies Act 462", he said adding that as a result communities were not actively involved in the identification of problems they faced. He said the communities were also unable to impact positively on the implementation process or on the solutions sought in respect of development issues affecting them.

Mr. Nsor said although the district assemblies could exercise certain powers unilaterally, "the consultative process involving the people is the best approach for maximum participation, sense of ownership, as well as desired outcomes within any project setting". He said the main role of community development, which is overshadowed in both budgetary and institutional terms, was to mobilize, sensitize and animate communities in order to bridge the development gap between expectations in society and reality.