Agona Mankrong (C/R), Oct 20, GNA - A six-month capacity building and development training for 40 members of the Mankrong Area Council and opinion leaders has began at Agona Mankorang.

The training aimed at empowering the participants in promoting the decentralisation policy was organised by the Agona District Assembly and sponsored by the Community Based Development Project of the Assembly. Mr Andrews Nawuli, Assistant District Co-ordinating Director, in an opening address said the training was to ensure effective decentralisation.

He said it was time they decided and planned their own projects instead of always looking up to the District Assembly. Mr Nawuli stated that even though the decentralisation programme started about 20 years ago it had not gone down well with people at the grassroots, adding that, it was time they initiated and planned their own projects instead of decisions being taken for them always from Accra and Swedru, the District Capital.

Mr Nawuli said when the participants take the training seriously it would go a long way to improve their living conditions. Mr Richard Ziork, Deputy District Planning Officer and Co-ordinator of the training said, "this is the time for the people to begin to do things for themselves and stop looking up to people to do things for us".

Mr Ziork recalled the statement by the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive to the Finance Minister two weeks ago that "very soon the Accra Assembly will say goodbye to the common fund and that they were going to mobilise funds themselves to undertake projects". He said the sense of community work must be held in high esteem, adding that, "when say 'we' is better than 'they' and come together to do thing for ourselves to derive satisfaction to enhance the development of our area".

Mr Ziork expressed the hope that by March 2006 that the training would come to an end, the Mankrong Area Council should be able to use its own resources to ensure effective programmes to reduce poverty among the people.