Kufuor Asked to Advise Eyadema

Denu (Volta Region) - A participant at the Peoples Assembly held at Denu has appealed to President John Kufuor to prevail on his Togolese counterpart President Gnyassingbe Eyadema to relinquish power peacefully to avert another conflict in the sub-region.

Daniel Anderson Agbolosu, a tutor, said the Ketu District would be hard hit by the fallout from any future political crises in Togo as experienced had shown. He said the already heavily populated district would be under great pressure from the influx of refugees who might seek sanctuary in the country and the likely security problems their presence would impose on the country.

Agbolosu asked African leaders to adopt mechanisms to compel their colleagues whose styles of governance are undemocratic to accede to the new democratic dictates prevailing in the world.

A student participant suggested that the number of guarantors for the SSNIT Students Loan should be reduced from three to one to make processing less cumbersome. Other issues contributors touched on included oil exploration activities in the country, the neglect of Zonal, Town and Urban Council workers by assemblies and alleged rift between the Linus Koffie, Ketu District Chief Executive and Lt-Col Charles Agbenaza (Rtd), Ketu South Constituency Member of Parliament.

Major Courage Quashigah (RTD), Minister of Food and Agriculture, in answers to some of the questions said the Togolese issue was a tricky one and blamed the woes of most African countries on "mismanagement of power by our leaders".

He said the SSNIT Loans Scheme for students was full of flaws making recovery difficult but promised that the suggestion for the reduction of the number of guarantors would be studied.

Major Quashigah praised the former government for relinquishing power gentlemanly that allowed the NPP government to continue with the job they were doing with fresh zeal.

Yaw Barimah, Minister of Works and Housing, said exploration for oil had reached an advanced stage and hoped that the search would result in a find. Kofi Dzamesi, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, blamed some contractors in the region for taking on too many contracts and found it difficult to execute them on schedule.

He warned that such contractors could lose part or all their contracts. Modestus Ahiable, MP for Ketu North, commended Major Quashigah for recognising the good works of the previous government. He hoped the NPP government would deliver on their promises ''or they be dammed.''