Cape Coast, Sept 17, GNA- The Central Regional Minister Mr Isaac Edumadze, on Wednesday, said failure to acknowledge and utilise the private sector in promoting socio-economic growth in the past has limited economic opportunities in the country.

He said there has been "persistent lack of clarity" in the roles of the public and private sectors and this has culminated in the failure of the private sector to manage the macro-economy, contributing to the "deplorable failure of past development policies".

Mr Edumadze was speaking at a two-day seminar on the 'HIPC Initiative', for some assembly members, community based organisations and civil society organisations in the Central Region.

It has the theme "maximising the HIPC impact on the poor and the vulnerable" and it is being organised by Ghana Cities Mission, an NGO based in Cape Coast, with sponsorship from the Social Enterprise Development Foundation of West Africa, an NGO in Accra.

The seminar aimed at sensitising the participants on the need to monitor and evaluate projects being undertaking with HIPC relief funds. The Minister said it is the aim of the government to ensure that poverty is eradicated by the year 2015, adding that the over- riding goal of Ghana's economic and social development policies is to improve the quality of life of all Ghanaians.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Mr Siapha Kamara, said similar seminars held in the northern parts of the country are already achieving the desired results.