Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional area, Daasebre Prof (Emeritus) Emmanuel Oti Boateng has urged traditional authorities and economies of Africa to immediately adopt the Root-Based Model (RBM) and innovative ways of development to reduce poverty and inequality on the continent.

RBM is an innovative development model in response to global development challenges including the reduction of poverty and inequality.

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.

The Root-Based Model of 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.

Daasebre Prof Emeritus Oti Boateng in a-four page document spelt out that the RBM is 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 Prof Emeritus Oti Boateng, who is also a former Government Statistician, the RBM is not only connecting communities in New Juaben, but more importantly connecting traditional areas across Africa and regions of emerging economies for sustainable development.

Speaking via a virtual meeting by the Root-Based Institutional Members on Friday, 15 January, 2021, Daasebre Prof Emeritus Oti Boateng noted that 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.”