The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Julius Debrah, has asked Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to come up with innovative programmes to boost employment opportunities and help control rural-urban migration.

He said MMDAs play a crucial role in job-creation, and so there is need for them to introduce programmes that will help improve the economic wellbeing of people.

“One of the vital roles of MMDAs is job-creation, and then government comes in to assist for its sustainability since the MMDAs are with the people at the district level and know the capabilities of the youth,” he said.

Mr. Debrah, who said this when he paid a courtesy call on the chief of Sagnarigu in the Sagnarigu district of the Northern Region, Naa Abudulai Yakubu, noted that government through his sector ministry will initiate a programme to support individuals within the various districts across the country -- enabling them to go into small-scale enterprises (SMEs) to create jobs in the districts and also help improve local economies.

“The SMEs development project will be geared toward adding value to agriculture products, which are the mainstay of most people in the districts,” he added. Touching on the affordable housing project, he said government will construct more than 200 affordable houses in supporting its affordable housing project to reduce the housing deficit confronting workers.

This, he said, will enable workers to have the sound mind needed to discharge their duties for the country’s economic growth, saying “many workers refused transfer due to accommodation issues”.

For his part, Naa Abudulai Yakubu commended government for the monthly national Sanitation Day initiative, saying it will go a long way to reduce epidemics in the region. He gave assurance of support from traditional leaders and the people to ensure a successful exercise.