Navrongo, March 10, GNA- Participants at a day's forum held in Navrongo in the Upper East Region on Saturday expressed concern about the priorities of Government projects being carried out in the area. They complained that certain developmental projects were forced on them without consulting them to identify their priority needs. The Participants also expressed concern about the delay of the execution of contracts awarded by the Government to contractors, especially the road networks.

One of the areas also identified by the participants, as their priority needs was the seasonal lack of markets for tomato farmers in the area, which was affecting the farmers seriously since most of them had contracted loans from the banks, and sold their animals for the investment.

Participants further mentioned education as one of their priorities and said there was the need for the Government to provide more educational infrastructure since most of school children in the area still study under trees which do not enhance proper and effective learning.

On health they expressed regret about lack of health staff to man many of the health posts set up by the government in the communities The forum, which was organised by Grass Roots Africa, a Non-Governmental Organisation attracted about 50 participants made up of Assembly members, Chiefs, Teachers, Students, opinion leaders and Heads of Department drawn from the District.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview after the forum, the Executive Director of Grass Roots Africa, Mr. Rudolf Amenga-Etego, explained that the main aim and objective of the forum was to empower the people at the grass root levels to collate and develop their own developmental needs in terms of priories which would be submitted to the Government for consideration and implementation. He indicated that it would also afford people in leadership position to account for their stewardship hence making them more accountable to the people.

Mr. Amenga -Etego explained that in the past, Grass Roots Africa had been working in the Garu-Tepani in the Bawku East, Bunkurugu Yoyoo and Savelugu-Nantong District in the Northern Region on Gender and Nutrition issues.

He pointed out that there was the need for the leadership to know the priority needs of the people on the ground before undertaking projects, which might not be in the interest of the people. 10 March 07