The West Gonja District 2002 to 2005 MTDP was formulated on the following premises. First, under the decentralized planning system all District Assemblies in the country were to draw up development plans based on local needs, resources and situations. This was a national requirement to enable Districts to Plan, Implement, Monitor and Co-ordinate and evaluate their own projects.

Secondly the new planning system enjoins District Assemblies to use participatory approach (Community based decision making system) in plan formulation, co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation. This is to ensure that whatever District Plans that emerge are closely related to the situation on the ground and beneficiaries have a say in their own development decision making. The 2002-2005 Development Plan had it overall goal to improve the standards of living of the people of the West Gonja District.

Assumptions
The District Development Plan was drawn based on the following assumptions

1. The projects will be funded with the DACF
2. All stakeholders mentioned in the Plan as collaborating agencies would honour their commitments. 
3. The common fund would be released regularly and timely.
4. Traditional revenue sources will improve through increased revenue mobilization.

Objectives
The main objectives of the D-plan were:

 Increase employment, income levels and agricultural production

Human Reources Development and Basic Services

• Improve Educational Outcomes and increase access to educational infrastructure and services
• Reduce Mortality and Morbidity rates and the spread of HIV/AIDS
• Increase Geographical access to health care services and reduce population growth rates

Production and Gainful Employment

1. Reduce Environmental degradation and Post Harvest loss
2. Build Capacity of DA and other Institutions

Vulnerable and Excluded: Enhance the social, economic and cultural status of the vulnerable groups and improve their skills.

Improve the financial base  

• Secondary Data especially from the 1996-2000 D-plan.
• Primary data obtained from the communities in the District.through focus group discussions and durbars.
• Contribution from sector departments, traditional authorities, Religious bodies and community members.

Planning Process
The formulation of the 2002 to 2005 D-plan involved a lot of stakeholders from the grassroots. It began with Village level planning and discussion where individuals at the grassroots were consulted. Their development priorities were sent to the DPCU who in turn referred them to the various sector departments for their technical comments. These were then captured and included in the D-plan by the DPCU. The D-plan was then sent to the various sub committees of the District Assembly for approval and finally to the General Assembly.

Activities/Targets
To ensure that there is a total development of the district, the Development plan set targets to cover every sector of the local economy. The sectors targeted for improvement were:

• Health
• Education
• Water and Sanitation
• Agriculture
• Tourism
• Environmental Development
• Road Network
• Administration 
• Finance

Source of Funding
The main source of funding for the DA is the District Assemblies Common Fund which comes from the Central Government.Refer to pdf file for  tables the breakdown of the Common Fund Receipts for WGDA from 2002-2005.

The industrial sector employs less than 15% of the active labour force.  Males continue to dominate the industrial sector.  The industries are the cottages-type using traditional skills, simple tools and are mainly family business.  The cottage industries include handicrafts, baskets and mats weaving, metal and wood work. Agro-based industries also abound in the district.  Women dominate in the food processing (gari, starch and konkonte) activities, district wide.  Damongo is renowned for its quality gari in the northern sector.  Other industries are textiles and leather works.

The industrial production and employment is low in the district due to several factors, including inadequate skills, low technologies, inappropriate equipment, poor marketing and high cost of inputs.

In order to increase industrial productivity and employment the youth could undertake skill-based training, and supported materially to establish local industries.   

Income And Poverty Analysis
Currently, it is estimated that 64% of the district population fall below the national poverty line which is ¢900,000.00 per year.  (UNDP standard).
The major cause of poverty in the district are the typical poverty cycle in developing countries i.e low productivity, low income, high illiteracy rate, high population growth rate, low savings (capital) and unemployment.

Although the district has a number of natural and human resources, these are under developed and underutilized.  The district is also one of the least resourced in terms of social services.  To mention a few, roads are bad and majority of roads unmotorable during the rainy season, poor access to health, education, employment, potable water and energy (electricity).

   
Some measures have been taken to boost internal revenue generation.  These measure include:

• Replacement of non-performing revenue collectors
• Setting targets for revenue collectors
• Provision of motor bikes to supervisors
• Payment of commission to collectors/supervisors. Etc.
• Use of Civic Unions in revenue collection

Some of the major problems in revenue generation internally are.

1. Suppression of cash
2. Short Accounting
3. Forging Receipts
4. Improper Recruitment of Collectors
5. Laxity on the part of collectors, supervisors and staff.

Refer to the pdf file below.