Lawra, Oct. 6, GNA - Alhaji Issahaque Salia, the Upper West Regional Minister, has said the government was committed to delivering on its four key development objectives. These are building a strong economy, investing in the people, expandin= g infrastructure for growth and promoting transparency and accountable governance.

He appealed to Ghanaians, especially those with specialized expertise, to rally behind the government and to support its policies and programmes a= s well as other initiatives to achieve the 93Better Ghana" agenda. Alhaji Salia was addressing the chiefs and people of the Lawra Traditional Area at the celebration of the 93Kob-bine" Festival at Lawra= on Wednesday.

"Kob-bine" is an agricultural festival and is celebrated annually to give thanks to God and the ancestors for a successful farming season. He said the government recognized agriculture as its main tool for development and that for the past two years some initiatives had been made in the sector resulting in some achievements in the production of maize, rice and yam. He said the 93Block Farming Concept", the subsidized fertilizer sche= me for farmers, and the Youth in Agriculture Programme had made significant impact. He said the government was determined to further improve agricultural production through the provision of irrigation facilities, improving on roads to farming areas, reducing post harvest loses and securing good price= s for farmers.

On Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), Alhaji Salia said the initiative was not merely a 93hand-out" tool to dish out monies= to solve problems. Alhaji Salia said the Ghana Social Opportunities Project would be launched this month under which the Lawra District would benefit from an allocation of 1.7 million Ghana cedis. The project would assist in targeting the poor, enhance the LEAP Programme, support the district to undertake a number of labour based projects and also provide employment for rural people. Alhaji Salia assured Naa Puowele Karbo III, Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area, that his request for the provision of the Kamba Irrigation Project, turning the Babile Agricultural Station into an Agricultural Training College and the quest to establish a community radio station in the area would be given consideration.