He said in spite of rural communities’ invaluable contribution to the nation’s economy, as the nation’s food basket, the source of raw material production and the base for a larger portion of revenue generation in the country, they are often left out in the utilization of these revenues.

This, he said, is unfair and it was time the situation changed to ensure adequate provision of basic infrastructure and social amenities which would open up rural communities. Nana Ameyaw II made the call at a town hall meeting organized by the Sekyere East District Assembly at Effiduase.

The meeting which was under the theme: “building partnership with the people for the sustainable development of Sekyere East”, brought together traditional leaders, religious leaders, local government officials, teachers, students and members of the public.

He said rural dwellers, mostly smallholder farmers, were the producers of food crops and other agricultural products found in the cities, yet they faced severe challenges in the areas of good roads, educational and health facilities, potable water and sanitation facilities.

He said rural communities do not have a fair share of social intervention programmes such as the capitation grant for basic schools, school feeding among others, and such unfair distribution of resources always compounded the economic burden of rural dwellers, who were already poor.

Nana Ameyaw urged the government to extend more resources to ensure the speedy and sustainable development of rural communities in order to reduce poverty among the people in those areas.

Madam Mary Boatemaa Marfo, the District Chief Executive (DCE), said the assembly was on course in its developmental agenda and mentioned the reconstruction and improvement of the Effiduase town roads as well as the Ahensan and Ntumkumso feeder roads.

She pledged the assembly’s commitment to continue to work to enhance rural development and called for full cooperation from the public to achieve that objective. Mr Emmanuel Agyei Baafi, the Presiding Member, urged the public to cooperate with the District Assembly and the Ghana Revenue Authority, by paying their taxes to aid development in the area.