Regional News of Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Source: GNA

DCE-Elect outlines vision

Apam (C/R), April 29, GNA - Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, Gomoa West District Chief Executive-Elect, has outlined his vision for the District, placing education and health on top of the priority list. Mr Aidoo-Mensah, 47, who was the Chief Accountant of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), told the Ghana News Agency at Apam after his confirmation by the Assembly, that he would work very hard to ensure that every school-going age child was enrolled and retained in school.

Parents and guardians would be discouraged from engaging their children and wards in fishing and farming activities during school hours, he added.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah, popularly called "Copper," and a former assembly member for Mamfam Electoral Area of Apam, polled 44 out of the 45 votes cast to get his nomination confirmed. He appealed to the Ghana Education Service to restore the 30 percent of Senior High and Technical Schools allocation to students in their localities to enable children from poor homes to enrol as day students.

He said his administration would liaise with the District Health Directorate to enforce measures towards preventive health care in the area.

To this end, he said, the Environmental Health Division would be empowered to embark on education for the people to observe clean environmental and personal hygiene. After the education, the division would be encouraged to prosecute sanitary offenders at the law courts, the DCE stated. He said agriculture would be given a boost since the District is predominantly made up farmers and fishermen. The DCE-elect assured that he would operate an open administration, "leaving my door open 24 hours a day". He pledged to be a DCE for all and urged the people to feel free to discuss their problems with him. Mr Aidoo-Mensah appealed to citizens to come out with concrete and good suggestions to support the Assembly in enhancing living conditions.