Bolgatanga (Upper East), 27th April ?99 -

The five-day 14th regional ministers' conference has opened in Bolgatanga.

Among topics to be discussed is Ghana's preparedness regarding the Y2K Millennium Bug problem, the Youth in Agricultural Development programme, challenges of education in the next millennium and the issue of alien Fulani herdsmen.

The conference is to provide a forum for regional ministers to critically discuss common problems and to work out strategies for the qualitative and quantitative improvement in the lives of the people.

Opening the meeting, Pe Rolland Ayagitam, Chiana Pio and a member of the Council of State, said Regional Co-ordinating Councils have the duty of promoting and monitoring development in the regions, and ensuring the proper implementation of government policies.

They also have the responsibility of ensuring peace and stability to facilitate socio-economic development.

The Chiana Pio noted that much as democracy without development would be of little value, development without the necessary democratic safeguards and institutions would also deny majority of the people their fundamental human rights.

Chiana Pio said: "it is against this background that one views the evolution of new democratic processes alongside the accelerated pace of development in the country as positive".

He stressed the government's commitment to ensure balanced development in all regions to improve the conditions of life in the rural areas as provided under the directive principles of state policy in the constitution.

He cited the reconstruction of the Tamale-Bolgatanga road, extension of electricity from the national grid to all the 110 districts in the country and the provision of other socio-economic infrastructure including pipe-borne water, telephone facilities and health centres as part of the process aimed at improving the living conditions of the people.

The Council of State member said, however, that the government alone could not shoulder the responsibility of development, adding that the success of its efforts at improving the living standards of Ghanaians would to a great extent depend on the sustained co-operation of all.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper East Regional Minister, acknowledged that a lot of responsibilities rest on regional ministers, who are expected to come out with results to meet the expectations of the people.

Alhaji Sulemana was optimistic that regional ministers would be "revitalised" and would, at the end of the conference, have new insights and perspectives to confront the problems facing the people.

He said through the government's efforts and the collaboration of the International Fund for Agriculture Development, a number of small-scale dams and dug-outs have been provided to minimise the over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture in the region.

The regional minister said with the anticipated commencement of the second phase of the IFAD project, the region's perennial food shortage would soon become a thing of the past.