Akyem Swedru, June 24, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister, has denied rumours that the government was not interested in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He said the government was committed to the welfare of the people and that everything possible would be done to ensure that the scheme stood on its feet.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said this when he inaugurated a two semi- detached nurses' quarters at Duakon, a farming community in the Birim South District, as part of his two-day tour of the area. The facility, which cost GHC 67,000, was funded from the assembly's internally generated fund

He said the government would not renege on its campaign promises of one time premium and that plans were advanced to implement that policy. The District Chief Executive, Baffour Takyi-Mensah, commended the people for their commitment that enabled the quarters to be completed on schedule. He said the assembly would continue to execute more development projects.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo later addressed a durbar of chiefs and people of Akyem Achiase where he appealed to them to rally behind the government to accomplish its dream of a better Ghana agenda. He said the entire road network in the district would be tackled soon to open up the area.

At Akyem Ayirebi in the Akyemmansa District, he inspected a two-storey classroom block project for the Ayirebi Senior High School (SHS). The minister expressed worry about the slow pace of the project and appealed to the contractor to speed up so that before the next academic year in September it would be ready for use.

He inaugurated a two separate school block projects for the Etwereso Camp Junior High School (JHS) and Zevor SHS. The two projects were funded by the community based development programme and the European Union.

The District Chief Executive for Akyemmansa, Mr Tom Budu, assured the people that the assembly would undertake a lot of development projects such as schools, clinics and health centres, road construction and others in order to open up the district. 24 June 10