Accra, July 21, GNA - Mr Roger Abolimbisa, NDC MP for Builsa South, on Thursday called on the Government to sustain the development of the oncho-free zone in the Northern part of the country to help alleviate poverty and deprivation in the area.

He said the onchocerciasis was no longer of public health importance in the area; however, poverty, deprivation and exclusion were of grave significance, which needed the Government's urgent attention. Mr Abolimbisa said this in a statement on the floor of the House on developing the oncho-free zone.

He said in the early 90's the Government provided infrastructure in some oncho-free areas including road networks, health centres and hand-dug wells.

"However since 1995 there has not been any indication that the planned development in terms of supporting agriculture, income-generating activities and providing basic social infrastructure of the area would continue," he said.

"Vision 2020 clearly identified oncho-free zones of the North as needing special attention in the investment programmes designed to upgrade deprived areas.

Mr Abolimbisa said: "It is noteworthy that Ghana's Vision 2020 having been shelved at the close of 2000, the over 35,000 population of hard working farmers in the Fumbisi - Wiesi - Yagaba - Kubori area have been forgotten."

The MP, therefore, called on the Government to come out with actions to reverse the development tragedy of the oncho-free zone as envisaged in the Vision 2020 Document.