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The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in charge of Rural Economic Development, Mr Collins Augustine Ntim, has reminded Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that the setting up of the District Centre of Agriculture, Commerce and Technology (DCACT) is to facilitate inter-departmental coordination and to give effective meaning to decentralisation.

Mr Ntim gave the reminder when he addressed heads of decentralised departments at the Atwima-Nwabiagya, Ahafo-Ano South and Ahafo-Ano North District Assemblies at separate meetings at their headquarters at Nkawie, Mankranso and Tepa respectively.

Collaborative ministries

The collaborative ministries which set up the DCACT include the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).The meetings were part of a comprehensive programme drawn by the MLGRD, which saw the deputy minister visiting the MMDAs to acquaint himself with the work of the various assemblies and identify problems they encounter.

Mr Ntim emphasised that the agricultural sector was crucial to rural development because it contributed significantly to initiatives designed to alleviate poverty.

He, therefore, stressed that there was great need for a strong agricultural extension and advisory services led by the assemblies and the relevant stakeholders.

In pursuance of that, he reiterated that the development of a regulatory framework and the standards for extension delivery had become a matter of priority for his ministry and MoFA.

Reminder

The deputy minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Offinso North Constituency, reminded the heads that effective supervision, strict monitoring and motivation of staff should be their watchword because that could help enhance productivity.

He, however, noted that he was not impressed with how the Ahafo-Ano South District was handling the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

Furthermore, the assembly was yet to settle for the type of cash crop for the programme, which the minister said was long overdue.

The deputy minister also lashed out on the Ahafo-Ano North District Assembly and charged its district chief executive (DCE) to be up and doing since "I will not tolerate acts that will jeopardise the government's development programmes aimed at empowering economically and eventually bettering the lives of our rural folks and farmers."

The deputy minister told the DCEs that, "The President is very much eager to support our farmers, hence the rolling out of all such interventions and agric modules. We as a ministry will be failing in our duties if we do not ensure successful implementation of these programmes, hence my working visits.”

He stressed that every assembly would be assessed based on the number of farmers they had supported.