President appeals for mass registration for the 2012 elections

President John Evans Atta Mills has appealed to all eligible voters to register when the Electoral Commission (EC) opens the voters’ register.

He said this would enable them to exercise their franchise as Ghanaians in the 2012 general elections.

President Mills said this in an address read for him at the grand durbar of the celebration of the Opemsuo festival at Anyinam near Kokofu in the Bekwai Municipality.

The theme for the week-long celebration was: “Rekindling our cultural heritage for posterity”.

President Mills said the Government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would ensure peaceful campaign and elections come next year.

He said people should see traditional festivals and cultural activities as an occasion for stock taking and planning for the development of their communities.

To this end, the President called on the people to participate and to cherish the nation’s cultural heritage.

President Mills appealed to parents to pay attention to the education of their children to enable them to become responsible adults.

He said the government would continue to provide the basic infrastructure to improve education and the living standards of Ghanaians.

According to him, the Government was very active in the area of roads, health, water and electricity and would not relent and called for support from all and sundry.

On the spate of motor accidents in the country, he urged drivers and other road users to be “extra extra-careful” to reduce carnage on roads.

The Paramount Chief of Ejisu, Nana Afrane Okesse IV, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, praised the traditional council for its efforts at sustaining the bi-annual festival which was first celebrated in 2005.

He urged the youth to remain united and have a sense of unity of purpose and understanding and contribute effectively towards the socio-economic development of the area.

Barima Offe Akwasi Okpgyeasuo II, Paramount Chief of Kokofu, called for the establishment of cottage industries in the area to offer employment opportunities to the youths of the area.

He called for the rehabilitation of roads leading to Kokofu Government hospital, some tourist centres and the construction blocks of classrooms and dormitories for the Kokofu Oppong Memorial Senior High School