By Jerry Akornor, Accra-Ghana
Paramount Chief (Omanhene) of New Juaben Traditional Area in the Eastern Region of Ghana Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Oti Boateng has urged traditional authorities and economies of Africa to immediately adopt Root-Based Model and innovative ways of development to reduce poverty and inequalities on the continent.
Root-Based Model (RBM) is an innovative development model in response to global development challenges including the reduction of poverty and inequalities.
Known as RBM, this approach of development considers the provision of basic needs such as housing, food, clothing, health, education and involvement of communities in the development process.
Boating posited that the RBM development introduces the concept of building sustainable community development from the bottom-up approach to ensure that communities become the resource base and centre of sustainable development.
He added that it was a community involvement and participatory approach of development that addresses the importance of harmonising the traditions and culture of the indigenous people, integrated with modern approaches as the basis of sustainable community development and governance.
According to the former Ghana’s Government Statistician, RBM was not only connecting communities in New Juaben, but also the traditional areas across Africa and regions of emerging economies for sustainable development.
Speaking at a virtual meeting the Root-Based Institutional Members, United Nations Statistical said the “implementation of our RBM will make it possible for a sizable percentage of Africans to play an active role on issues affecting their development, and assure Africa of its rightful place when it comes to the implementation of home grown development models”.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for being part of this historic journey. Together, we will move the continent to the next level of development based on their own indigenous systems” said Boateng