Hohoe, March 11, GNA - The Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP), which replaces the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP), was designed to strengthen decentralisation, deepen democracy and reduce poverty at the micro and macro levels drastically.

Mr Thomas Anang Siaw, Eastern Zonal Co-ordinator of the Scheme comprising the Volta, Eastern and Greater Accra regions, told a stakeholders' briefing at Hohoe on Thursday that the government had procured 72 million dollars towards the implementation in four years. He said the project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, would focus on institutional strengthening and capacity building, infrastructure for agriculture, social and human development.

Rural enterprise development, learning centres and community based natural resource management would also be tackled.

Mr Siaw said the project would be community demand-driven to ensure community decision-making and participation.

Mr Charles Nayram, Volta Regional Rural Infrastructure Engineer of CBRDP, said the new intervention is targeted at rural communities with less than 5,000 people and is expected to contribute to high economic growth, increased agricultural efficiency, improved access to market and enhanced standard of living.

Mr Evans Kanfra, Principal Development Planning Officer of the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council, urged all district assemblies in the region to activate their Planning Co-ordinating Units that would be the fulcrums for implementing the scheme.

Mr Albert M. Agra, Presiding Member of the Hohoe District Assembly, expressed the hope that the government would strengthen all structures necessary for an accelerated development, deepen decentralisation and reduce poverty.

Mr Pius Adanuti, the Kpando District Chief Executive called for special and specific funds to run such interventions to stabilise the systems. 11 March 05