Akropong celebrates Odwira

Akropong-Akwapim (E/R), Sept. 27, GNA - The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah, has advised the chiefs and people of the Akwapim traditional area to settle all misunderstandings among them to enhance peace, unity and development.

Addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of Akropong-Akwapim on Friday, to climax the celebration of this year's Odwira festival, the Minister reminded them that chieftaincy disputes and political upheavals derailed government's programmes since during such social unrest, vital resources are re-channelled for the maintenance of law and order at the expense of developmental projects.

The nation, he added, was already confronted with some socio-economic problems, diseases, poverty and unemployment and stressed the need for chiefs and elders as well as opinion leaders, to remain united and adopt strategies to collectively resolve the problems confronting them.

Dr. Osafo-Mensah said several efforts and appeals had been made by the President to people, both home and abroad, to attract investments into the country and reminded them that this could not yield the desired results without a peaceful environment.

"Let us all bear in mind that investors would not push their hard earned money into areas where there is tension, acrimony and chaos", he warned.

Dr Osafo-Mensah assured the people of government's concern for rural development to improve the quality of life of the rural population through the district assemblies.

He announced that the Akuapem North District Assembly had since 2001, undertaken 190 projects and programmes at a cost of 15 billion cedis and urged beneficiaries of the projects to consider them as their own and take good care of them since several millions of cedis would be spent to rehabilitate them if proper care and maintenance were not taken to ensure their prolonged lifespan.

The Minister also urged Ghanaians to embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme and contribute effectively towards it to ensure that health care delivery is made accessible and affordable to all Ghanaians.

The Akwapim North District Chief Executive, Dr Eugenia Dankwa-Quist stressed the need for the people to allow unity and peace to prevail in the area.

She also called on the chiefs and people as well as Assembly members to rally together to plan more programmes for the area and assured them of the Assembly's support for any community projects, which would be initiated by the people.

Dr Dankwa-Quist announced that 410 million cedis had been distributed so far under the Employment and Income Generation Programme and said efforts were being made to pursue the recovery of these loans.

She deplored the poor sanitation in the area and appealed to the chiefs, elders and other stakeholders to organise regular communal labour for clean-up exercises to keep the environment clean. In his welcoming address, the Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, said the citizens are noted for their discipline and good morals through "the leadership by example of the early training of Presbyterianism and emphasised the need for them to instil discipline in all their activities for others to emulate. He also urged the people to improve tourist sites to enable them to become sources of income for the development of the area. 27 Sept. 03