Local leaders should prioritise economic growth in their respective areas so as to effectively improve the welfare of their subjects, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, John Rwangombwa has said.He made the remark yesterday while addressing Kicukiro District leaders after touring and commissioning development projects the district has implemented in its performance contract.He said for Rwanda to become a middle income country or a knowledge based economy, local leaders should always, in the performance contracts, hinge on laying strategies that spur development."To improve the standards of living, you need to build economic development strategies and mechanisms on how to lead the district out of poverty” Rwangombwa said.Rwanda seeks to become a middle income country by 2020. Over the last five years, it posted an average growth of 8.4% with GDP per capita growing from US$ 333 in 2006 to US$ 540 in 2011 a development which Rwangombwa says can be improved upon. Poverty rates fell by 12% in five years, which means an annual reduction rate of 2.4% the latter puts the country in the company of China (2.56%), Thailand (2.50%) and Vietnam (2.75%) according to United Nations Development Programme Rwanda. However, Rwangombwa said some local leaders impose upon residents to meet their targets, a practice he said should stop."The communities should be taught and thoroughly sensitized on the importance of the government development projects so that they fully own them,” he said.