Ho, Mar. 21, GNA - A Development Dialogue Series on Poverty Reduction in the Volta Region that would bring together policy makers, technocrats and target groups to evaluate the poverty situation and effectiveness of remedy packages in the region takes off in Ho on Tuesday March 23.

The three-day encounter is under the theme: "Decentralisation the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy: Deepening the Involvement and Solution". Dubbed Development Dialogue Series Five (DD5), it would seek to increase participation of the poor in programmes designed to raise their economic status.

A programme document contended that information and communication were strong tools for poverty reduction just as financial resources. "You can have information without development but you cannot have development without information and the ability to communicate", it said.

The 10 organisations sponsoring the dialogue include Community Radio Network (CORANET), a Ho-based NGO, Youth and Social Enterprise Fund (Y-SEF), DANIDA, CIDA, GTZ, Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and the World Bank.

The document listed the three main objectives of the dialogue as to facilitate a process for poor people to share their experiences and concerns about their situation, input real concerns of the poor in the GPRS and deepening and establishing partnerships and networks in the service of poor people.

Topics to be treated include Public/Private Partnership for Development of Volta Region and Harmonising Donor Support for Development in the Volta Region for Growth and Employment Creation.

Participants who would break into dialogue groups to deliberate on specific areas such as Productivity and Gainful Employment and Macro Economics and Infrastructure would also go on field trips to communities to share opinions of people living in poverty.