Wa, May 7, GNA - Mr. Mahmud Khalid, Upper West Regional Minister has said that government would not renege on

its responsibility to source and sustain the funding of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA)

initiative. He said SADA would offer a strong financial foundation and the infrastructure needed to attract private investment

to the savannah zone. Mr. Khalid was speaking at a forum organised by SEND-Ghana, a non-governmental organisation to deepen public

awareness and ownership of the SADA proposal. It was attended by traditional rulers, civil society organisations, public workers, students, academia and

development experts. They were taken through policy implementation processes, policy intention and plans, as well as roles of key actors

and potential opportunities for citizens. Mr. Khalid entreated civil society organisations and the media to help educate the people about the SADA strategy

and work plan for 2010-2030. He said Ghana could attain the Millennium Development Goals and move towards sustainable development if the

under-developed North is brought at par with the rest of the country. "SADA places premium on the North's potential in terms of material, as well as human resource development, which

still remains largely untapped. "We should also used SADA to develop our mineral deposits, ensure adaptation to the current climate changes and

build the assets of the poor, invest in education and health to help attract the private sector to add value to our

produce," Mr. Khalid said.