MP calls for ceasefire in Mid-east

Akrofuom (Ash), July 22, GNA- Mr. Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, Member of Parliament for the Akrofuom, on Saturday appealed to the United States of America, to use diplomacy to put pressure on Isreal to cease fire in the renewed conflict in the Middle East.

He pointed out that though the conflict in the Middle East looked remote, it had a negative effect on the development of Ghana, and his constituency.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on development projects in the Akrofuom Constituency, Mr Appiah-Pinkrah said tolerance must be the guard word for peace efforts in the Middle East.

Mr Appiah-Pinkrah made a correlation of the war in the Middle East to his development and, and said the war would not only raise the price of petroleum products, but also cause a diversion of of international attention and resources to the Gulf Region, to the disadvantage of Africa, Ghana and the Akrofuom Constituency.

He said the instability in the Middle East would affect economic and political stability in Africa, explaining further that sources of funding for development would also suffer.

The Member of Parliament, a Development Consultant and Acting Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Comittee of Local Government, said the conflict had emanated from feeling of religious superiority and intolerance, and negative aspects of international business practices. He called on the international community, including the UN system, the global system, the African Union, to negotiate settlement rather than appeasement of the Middle East conflict. Mr. Appiah-Pinkrah said, as part of the lobbying work, he was working with a number of organisations for the development of the Akrofuom Constituency, and as the elected representative of the people in Parliament, he would make sure Akrofoum becomes a household name countrywide.

He said he had initiated community-based projects, and women and youth training centre was being constructed under the MP Initiative Programme, with funding from the MP's Share of the Common Fund, HIPC Funds and the Common Fund Administrator.

So far, six workshops in addition to an administration block, shops, library and a market for the multi purpose school, which was started in March, had been raised from the foundation level, and funds were being sourced for the progress of the work.

He also announced that 13,000 pieces of cement blocks had been manufactured for a boys hostel project for the Akrofuom Secondary Technical School, in addition to a housing project for the teachers. Mr Appiah-Pinkrah said he was working on Ghana Telecom to create an ICT hub in the Constituency, and annouced that a programme was underway to make the Akrofuom Secondary Technical School to become an ICT centre.

Some computer donations from individuals and organisations had been made for the ICT project.

Other projects being developed are electricity, water and road projects for the Costituency, Mr. Appiah-Pinkrah said, adding that he had, from his own personal resources established the Akrofuom Area Rural Bank to enhance savings mobilisation in the Constituency. 22 July 06