Otwetiri-Akuapem (E/R), May 5, GNA - The Queenmother of Mampong-Akuapem, Nana Akua Peibea I, has observed that provision of financial resources alone was not enough to help reduce poverty in the rural areas.

She said efforts at wealth creation should be backed by a strong mobilization of the communities to ensure environmental cleanliness, provision of potable water and reduction of disease.

Nana Peibea was speaking on the topic: "Reducing poverty through citizens' participation in local governance", at a forum organized by the Akuapem North Secretariat of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Otwetiri-Akuapem on Wednesday.

The forum formed part of activities by the secretariat to mark the Fifth National Constitutional Week celebration in the district. She said the reduction of poverty required determination and willpower to work towards economic progress.

Nana Peibea advised the farmers of the area to form co-operatives to enable them apply for micro-funds being provided by the District Assemblies and the banks.

She advocated for regular meetings between the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, the Assembly members and the electorate to enable the representatives of the people to know the concerns of the people and how to address them.

Nana Peibea said it was at such meetings that the necessary political leadership and advice could be provided to guide the lives of the people in the rural community.

In a speech read on his behalf, the MP for Akropong, Mr William Kwame Boafo, called for the provision of more resources to the NCCE to enable them to embark upon nation-wide civic education.

Mr Boafo who is also the Deputy Minister of Defence, said such education would help reduce political tension in the society. The District Director of Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mr Michael Nkansah, said over the last two years, his office had handled 200 cases, of which 95 per cent were on child maintenance.

He said in many of the child maintenance cases, the women got pregnant following sex at funerals and in hotels. Mr Nkansah advised young ladies to encourage people who proposed love to them to go to their parents for them to perform the necessary marital rites.