The Member of Parliament for Chaana-Paga Mr Pele Abuga on Sunday advised ethnic groups resident in Accra to contribute to the social and economic development of their home communities.

This, he said would lift the extra burden on government and bring about speedy development of their areas.

Mr Abuga was addressing the Accra branch of the Manyoro Youth Association of the Kasena Nankana District resident Accra, at a rally to raise about 50 million cedis in support of a clinic.

He said government alone could not provide the numerous needs of the people hence the need for the citizenry to initiate projects before government came in to assist.

He described the poverty situation in the north as unfortunate and said that it was when those in Accra and other cities in the southern sector pooled resources and helped in the development that poverty would be reduced.

Mr. Abuga, who is also the minority spokesman for Youth and Sports, advised the people against drunkenness. He said they should take the education and health of their wards seriously to bring change into their lives.

In his welcoming address, the Chairman Mr John Kofi Yamba said the association aimed at mobilising the community to undertake self-help accelerated developmental programmes.

He said the fund raising had become necessary because there were no health facilities to serve the people, adding that the problem contributed to most deaths in the area.

The nearest health institution is the Navrongo Hospital, which is about 16 kilometres away and added "the roads are not the best to drive a patient to Navrongo."

Mr Yamba appealed for government support to complete the project on time to alleviate the suffering of the people.