Time-tested rural expertise ideal for accelerated devet -Dittoh

Cape Coast, Jan. 11, GNA - Professor Saa Dittoh, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), has called on development experts to tap "time-tested" rural technologies and expertise for Ghana's accelerated socio-economic development. He said although major industrialization was important, there was the need to combine rural technologies with modern systems to improve the living standards of rural dwellers.

Prof. Dittoh made the call at the closing session of a workshop on " micro finance capacity building for poverty reduction" at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

It was jointly organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences of the UCC and UDS, to partner stakeholders to develop and deliver comprehensive programmes that would help develop human capital in the micro finance sector.

The participants were representatives of micro finance institutions (MFIs).

Prof. Dittoh stressed the need for effective collaboration among stakeholders in the pursuance of the nation's economic goals for enhanced poverty reduction, adding; "Politicians alone do not have solutions to the nation's economic problems."

He said such collaboration was imperative, since the main cause of conflicts in some African countries could be attributed to poverty. Mrs Gladys Ghartey, an official of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, said there was the need for micro finance practitioners to build their capacities and package their services appropriately to enhance service delivery.

In a seven-point resolution, the participants called for the adoption of a holistic and integrated approach to capacity building in the micro finance sector.

They also called for partnership between the universities, policy makers and micro finance institutions to develop the sector.