Mr. Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, Programme Officer of the Friends of the Nation (FoN), on Thursday called on the people to participate in the planning and implementation of projects in their communities to ensure that their development needs are met.

He said participatory and composite development promoted good governance and help realize the development aspirations of the people.

Mr. Yamoah was speaking at a two-day capacity building workshop on Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) for about 40 assembly members, community leaders and representatives of non-governmental organizations at Shama.

The training workshop formed part of the “Bridging the Gaps in Local Governance through Social Accountability” project which is being implemented by the FoN in collaboration with the Shama District Assembly with funding from STAR-GHANA.

Mr. Yamoah said the workshop was a follow up to a community needs assessment exercise conducted in about 31 communities in the Shama District as part of the project.

He said the assessment exercise covered community development needs, their vulnerability to climate change and other development challenges.

Mr. Yamoah said one objective of the workshop was to support the Shama District Assembly to develop a participatory planning process to address ICM issues through the preparation the District Medium Term Development Plan (DMTDP).

He said the other objective was to discuss and prioritize ICM issues identified during the community needs assessment and profile the needs.

Mr, Jeffrey Scott, an Assistant Planning Officer of the Shama District Assembly, said communities which were covered by the needs assessment included Old Daboase Junction, Supomu Dunkwa, Assorko Essaman, Anlo Beach, Yabiw, Essumankrom, Anto Aboso and Shama Apo.

He said the needs of the communities included provision of adequate toilet facilities, quality health delivery and education, efficient waste management and good roads.