Other challenges cited included poor health and education facilities, which negatively affected health and education outcomes. The annual CBO Festival created a platform for participants to learn and share experiences on issues that affected community development.

The two-day, which opened in Tamale on Wednesday, was organized by the Ghana Developing Communities Association, and was attended by over 100 participants drawn from various districts in the Northern Region.

This year’s event was the 11th in the series and it was on the theme: ““Building a Sustainable Future: Coming Together to end Poverty and Discrimination”. Mr Mahama Iddrisu, a CBO member at Zakpalsi in the Mion District, said farmers in the area lacked tractor services making them unable to plough their farms on time, a situation, which affected productivity.

Mr Iddrisu said poor link roads affected transportation of farm produce, adding, lack of storage facilities also forced farmers to sell their produce early at cheap prices to avoid losses.

Mr Abukari Adam, a CBO member at Demong in the Saboba District, said health and education facilities were not in good shape, a situation which forced professionals to refuse postings to the area. Mr Adam complained about the poor nature of the Yendi-Saboba Road, portions of which had been rendered unmotorable, whiles the main bridge connecting Saboba to Yendi had been submerged in flood waters, cutting off the town from others as a result of the heavy rains being experienced this year in the area.

Mr Yakubu Braimah, a CBO member at Pumo in the Gushegu Municipality, said illiteracy was high in the area as some people preferred farming to sending their children to school.Hajia Mariama Yakubu, Chairperson of CBOs Regional Assembly, therefore, appealed to the government to address the development challenges facing communities in the Region to improve their living conditions.

Alhaji Osman Abdel-Rahman, Executive Director of GDCA, whose speech was read on his behalf, urged government to prioritize the challenges outlined during the event to streamline its policies to better address the needs of the people.

Mr Richard Kambootah, Northern Sector Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies, who made a presentation on the topic: “Building a Sustainable Future: Coming Together to end Poverty and Discrimination,” called for equal opportunities for all to promote sustainable development.