Also considering the fact that the East Gonja District is a food basket and the fact human resource its greatest asset, special attention would be given to education and training, agriculture, Health and Water & Sanitation

Goals
Four goals were formulated by the district to guide development in the planned period of 2006-2009 to respond to the three thematic areas of Growth Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) II.

1. Enhancing production and productivity as well as the economic wellbeing of people in the district
2. Ensuring equitable and adequate provision and utilization of social services to all  people in the district
3. Strengthening district economy, Local Governance and the rights of the individual in the district

Water & Sanitation
Improve coverage at a rate of 6% per annum. The current district coverage is 34% so that by 2009, coverage should 58%. This target could be through the following:

• Rehabilitation of one town system
• Construction of 8 small town systems
• Construction of 34 boreholes each year
• Construction of 31 HDWs fitted with hand pumps by the 2009.
• Rehabilitation of 17 boreholes with hand pumps.
• Strengthen the capacity of 164 communities on the COM concept.
• Reduce guinea worm to about 10 cases by 2009

Improved Sanitation coverage is expected to be raised from 4.76% to 11.35% by 2009. Also within the same period, an improved final disposal site is expected to be created for Salaga.

1. Construct 80 HH latrines per year
2. Construct 2 public latrines per year
3. Provision of 18 refuse containers
4. Acquire three final disposal sites
5. Procure cesspit emptier
   
        Health
   Improve RCH activities especially with the view to decrease maternal mortality rate (MMR) from 144 per 1000LB (2005) to 100 per 1000LB and maintain the gains made in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of 13 per 100,000LB (2005).
   -    Strategize communities to sustain the improvement in EPI coverage i.e. achieve 95% Penta3 and a 5% Drop out rate (DOR) for all children immunised. Also 80% of all under one year receive Penta3 immunisation before their first birthday, current rate is 30%.
   -    Improve the problem of Low School health coverage rate of 61% to 90% by 2009.
   -    Interrupt Guinea worm transmission in the district the end of 2007 and report less than 10 cases by 2009.
   -    Increase CHPS Compounds from 4 to 10 by 2013.
   
        Agriculture
   
   -    Facilitate increase in food crop production and productivity
   Maize        9.33 – ……. tons/ha
   Rice        4.5 – ………tons/ha
   Millet        1.83 – ……. tons/ha
   Sorghum    2.47 – ……..tons/ha
   Groundnut    3.0 – ………tons/ha
   Cowpea    1.6 – ………tons/ha
   Soya beans    5.33 – ……..tons/ha
   Yam             28.33 – ……...tons/ha
   Cassava           3.5 – 8.40 tons/ha
   Vegetables    increase 25% annually           
           Post-harvest losses 30% - 20%
   
   
        Mutual Health Insurance Scheme
   -    To achieve 50% total enrolment by 2007.
   -    Achieve two billion premium level by 2007.
   -    Expected claims payable in 2007 is ¢2,160,000,000.00
   
    OBJECTIVES
   
   The objectives selected to guide the development of the district within the planned period of 2010 – 2013,  the GPRS II in which government sought to propel the nation to achieve middle income status (with a per capita income of at least US$1000) by 2015 as well as the MDG’s which are critical development issues of poverty and hunger, education, health (especially child and maternal mortality), gender equality and women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability and global partnership for development were the focus in reaching the following:
   
   Private Sector Competitiveness
   
   -    To Increase agricultural production and productivity.
   -    To improve upon general income levels of the people.
   -    Improve upon the socio economic infrastructure in the district.
   -    To promote economic activities in the district, especially for the vulnerable and the excluded.
   
   Human Resource Development
   -    Improve access to basic social services (quality education, health care, potable drinking water).
   -    To ensure clean, safe and healthy environment in the district.
   -    To facilitate the use of information, communication and technology in the development in the district.
   -    To support livelihood skills development.
   
   Good Governance and Civic Responsibility
   
   -    Ensure social safety nets for all citizens of the district.
   -    To ensure the safety, security and integration of all citizens, especially the vulnerable and excluded in the district.
   -    To ensure efficient and effective revenue mobilization and management.
   -    To improve upon the logistics and human resources of the Assembly.
   
   STRATEGIES
   
   Human Resource Development
   
   -    Promotion of gender considerations in all efforts.
   -    Rapid response to people affected by disasters.
   -    Expansion of the Mutual Health and Social Security Schemes to cover most people in the district.
   -    Enforcing the rights of the vulnerable, excluded and the physically challenged.
   -    Ensure access and utilization of quality education.
   -    Improve safe and clean water as well as sanitation facility delivery.
   -    Improve access and delivery of quality health service.
   -    Increase HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
   -    Ensure community participation in the delivery of social services.
   -    Collaborate with other stakeholders to institute skills enhancement training for the youth.
   
   Good Governance
   
   -    Increasing the internally generated revenue of the assembly.
   -    Improving household incomes.
   -    Practical efforts would be made to enhance decentralization and principle of community participation in the development process.
   -    Promote and ensure justice, peace and security.
   -    Ensure transparency and accountability in the management of DA and other public resources.
   -    Strengthen the lower structures of the District Assembly.
   -    Co-ordinates an collaborate with NGOs/CBOs and CSOs
   
   Private Sector Competitiveness
   
   -    Address the access to credit gap.
   -    Facilitate the establishment a Community Bank and Credit Union/ Co-operative Associations.
   -    Improve yield of food crops.
   -    Promote of Irrigation Agriculture.
   -    Reduce in post-harvest losses.
   -    Develop marketing channels for agricultural produce.
   -    Promote of Tourism.
   -    Promote Small-Scale Businesses especially those of women.
   -    Improve road and communication network.
   -    Ensure safety on lake transport sector.
   
   

THE YOUTH IN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME

The Youth in Employment Programme actually took-off in the East Gonja District in the early part of the second half of 2006 with the agricultural module. In all, five hundred acres was put under maize and fifty-seven under rice. It is expected that 1000 acres and 500 acres would put under maize and rice respectively to benefit 500 farmers.

Under the Community Teaching Module, 317 youth with the requisite qualifications were recruited in 2006 to fill vacant classrooms. It is expected that the 450 target presented by Ghana Education Service would be met during the next academic year to facilitate teaching and learning.

Under the Sanitation module, 25 youth were recruited. This number though inadequate has lead to a great improvement in the sanitation situation in the beneficiary communities.