Chiana (U/W), March 16, GNA - President John Atta Mills on Wednesday said the government would do all it could to maintain and promote the sanctity of chieftaincy to bring development to the people.

"The government acknowledges the critical role of chiefs in the realization of its development agenda and would support it to give its best to the country," he said.

The President said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Martin Hamidu, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, when the Paramount Chief of Chiana, Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam 111, was outdoored.

The 39-year-old man succeeded his father, the late Pe Roland Adiali Ayagitam.

President Mills appealed to the new Chief to, in consultation with his elders and divisional chiefs, map out strategies to reduce or eliminate armed robbery, alcoholism, illegal abortions and illegal use of psychotropic drugs like cocaine and marijuana that are negatively influencing the youth.

"I have received the disturbing news about the involvement of some youth of this area in some of these negative practices and it behoves us all to work collectively towards changing the status quo", he said.

President Mills said it was unacceptable to cling to negative cultural practices that are draw back to development and progress and appealed to them to reform or abandon practices such as female genital mutilation, degrading widow hood rites and high bride price. "I believe you, our chiefs, have a key role to play in the reformation and modernization of our culture so as to make it meet our development aspirations."

"I therefore wish to use this opportunity to appeal to you, our dear chiefs, to champion this crusade to eradicate all obnoxious cultural practices from our societies," the President said.

Pe Ayagitam III appealed to the government to upgrade the Chiana Senior High School that is the oldest secondary school in the area with the largest student population but least developed. He also appealed for the Health Centre to be upgraded into a hospital to enable it to cater for referrals that are sent to far away Navrongo Hospital.

Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, appealed to chiefs in the region to enskin queen mothers so as to make it easy to involve women in development activities at the community level. He said the government had planned to provide the area with 30 bore holes, connect 40 communities to the national electricity grid and dredge dams to enhance irrigation.